Debut Albums and Pause
“Betrayal” by Harold Pinter
1975
Scene Three (FULL VERSION). Flat. Winter. JERRY and EMMA.
(Silence)
JERRY What do you want to do then?
(Pause)
EMMA I don’t quite know what we’re doing, any more, that’s all.
JERRY Mmnn
(Pause)
EMMA I mean, this flat…
JERRY Yes.
EMMA Can you actually remember when we were last here?
JERRY In the summer, wasn’t it?
EMMA Well, was it?
JERRY I know it seems –
EMMA It was the beginning of September.
JERRY Well, that’s summer, isn’t it?
EMMA It was actually extremely cold. It was early autumn.
JERRY It’s pretty cold now.
EMMA We were going to get another electric fire.
JERRY Yes, I never got that.
EMMA Not much point in getting it if we’re never here.
JERRY We’re here now.
EMMA Not really. (silence)
JERRY Well, things have changed. You’ve been so busy, your job, and everything.
EMMA Well, I know. But I mean, I like it. I want to do it.
JERRY No, it’s great. It’s marvellous for you. But you’re not –
EMMA If you’re running a gallery you’ve got to run it, you’ve got to be there.
JERRY But you’re not free in the afternoons. Are you?
EMMA No.
JERRY So how can we meet?
EMMA But look at the times you’re out of the country. You’re never here.
JERRY But when I am here, you’re not free in the afternoons. So we can never meet.
EMMA We can meet for lunch.
JERRY We can meet for lunch but we can’t come all the way out here for a quick lunch. I’m too old for that.
EMMA I didn’t suggest that.
(Pause)
You see, in the past… we were inventive… we were determined., it was… it seemed impossible to meet… impossible… and yet we did. We met here, we took this flat and we met in this flat because we wanted to.
JERRY It would not matter how much we wanted to if you’re not free in the afternoons and I’m in America.
(Silence)
Nights have always been out of the question and you know I have a family.
EMMA I have a family too.
JERRY I know that perfectly well. I might remind you that your husband is my
1975
Scene Three (FULL VERSION). Flat. Winter. JERRY and EMMA.
(Silence)
JERRY What do you want to do then?
(Pause)
EMMA I don’t quite know what we’re doing, any more, that’s all.
JERRY Mmnn
(Pause)
EMMA I mean, this flat…
JERRY Yes.
EMMA Can you actually remember when we were last here?
JERRY In the summer, wasn’t it?
EMMA Well, was it?
JERRY I know it seems –
EMMA It was the beginning of September.
JERRY Well, that’s summer, isn’t it?
EMMA It was actually extremely cold. It was early autumn.
JERRY It’s pretty cold now.
EMMA We were going to get another electric fire.
JERRY Yes, I never got that.
EMMA Not much point in getting it if we’re never here.
JERRY We’re here now.
EMMA Not really. (silence)
JERRY Well, things have changed. You’ve been so busy, your job, and everything.
EMMA Well, I know. But I mean, I like it. I want to do it.
JERRY No, it’s great. It’s marvellous for you. But you’re not –
EMMA If you’re running a gallery you’ve got to run it, you’ve got to be there.
JERRY But you’re not free in the afternoons. Are you?
EMMA No.
JERRY So how can we meet?
EMMA But look at the times you’re out of the country. You’re never here.
JERRY But when I am here, you’re not free in the afternoons. So we can never meet.
EMMA We can meet for lunch.
JERRY We can meet for lunch but we can’t come all the way out here for a quick lunch. I’m too old for that.
EMMA I didn’t suggest that.
(Pause)
You see, in the past… we were inventive… we were determined., it was… it seemed impossible to meet… impossible… and yet we did. We met here, we took this flat and we met in this flat because we wanted to.
JERRY It would not matter how much we wanted to if you’re not free in the afternoons and I’m in America.
(Silence)
Nights have always been out of the question and you know I have a family.
EMMA I have a family too.
JERRY I know that perfectly well. I might remind you that your husband is my