Chicago Tribune
- Somewhat Recommended
"...“Betrayal” is only 75 minutes long and none of the above is meant to suggest this is an uninteresting experience. On the contrary. It’s great to see actors of this trio’s caliber and level of accomplishment at the Goodman and Booth fully commits to the concept. The sophisticated setting, from Neil Patel, plays out the unseen lives of the characters during the breaks between scenes, suggesting the passage of time not unlike the British sitcom “Gavin & Stacey,” which came back years later to show audiences what happened to the characters. But TV can do that more easily and, more importantly, “Betrayal” is not fleshed-out realism."
Chicago Sun Times
- Recommended
"...There’s much to discuss here about experiencing this “Betrayal.” There’s the play itself, with its complex, reverse-chronological structure. There’s the celebrity casting, which ultimately, I’m sorry to say, feels off for a variety of reasons despite the actors’ excellence in craft. There’s the slick designs and evocative transitions in Goodman artistic director Susan Booth’s staging."
Daily Herald
- Recommended
"...Unfolding over a brisk 75 minutes in reverse chronological order and punctuated by Pinter's weighty silences, "Betrayal" (featuring Nico Grelli in a cameo as a waiter) centers around the infidelities of upper-middle-class Brits. The play begins at the story's conclusion with former lovers Emma (Hunt) and Jerry (Leonard) meeting for drinks two years after their affair ended. It ends at the party where the affair commenced, with an intoxicated, presumptuous Jerry confessing his passion for Emma, who is married to his best friend Robert, impressive work by Barford, who in 2007 played Jerry opposite Tracy Letts and Amy Morton in Steppenwolf's "Betrayal" revival."
Chicago Reader
- Recommended
"...While I certainly wouldn't make any claims for Booth's production as revelatory (despite the much-publicized presence of Helen Hunt, Robert Sean Leonard, and Ian Barford), it allows enough distance to see some unspoken aspects of the characters beyond the famous Pinter pauses."
Talkin Broadway
- Somewhat Recommended
"...For as well-planned and executed as the staging is, though, the direction and the cast's feel for the material is not always quite as solid. As Jerry, Robert Sean Leonard is the most consistently in tune with both his character and Pinter's language. As the end of the play wraps around to the beginning of Jerry and Emma's affair, there's satisfaction at the way Leonard has threaded all through his performance both youthful passion and thoughtless, masculine disregard for anything other than the self."
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews
- Recommended
"...With star powers Hunt, Leonard, and Barford, it feels like you were peaking into an emotional triangle, with a few reminiscing about their affairs. Hunt and Leonard were engaging. However, I was genuinely impressed by Barford's portrayal of Robert. His charisma shines through in every scene, while his captivating chemistry with the cast adds depth to the performance and his mannerisms of a deceived husband, effectively conveying Pinter's aim for the role."
Around The Town Chicago
- Recommended
"...Harold Pinter’s “Betrayal” is a three -person play that many would call a love triangle. While most theater audiences prefer “happily ever after” stories, this one is far from that, and in its 75 minutes of duration, smartly directed by Susan V. Booth. Based on Pinter’s story, this may be very close to reality for him, but I will let you be the judge on that. This is a love story, and yes, a love triangle does exist."
Chicago Theatre Review
- Highly Recommended
"...Artistic Director Susan V. Booth’s production of the Goodman’s much-anticipated production of Harold Pinter’s BETRAYAL does not disappoint. It’s a tart, often biting and bittersweet examination of three individuals who are, like all of us, fundamentally flawed. Enmeshed in a series of lies, deception and charades, this classic tale of deceit, during which the characters look back in angst, is played with precision, economy and a touch of class."
The Fourth Walsh
- Highly Recommended
"...Pinter’s dialogue is sharply written. His words and pauses pull the audience into the head of the speaker. What is she thinking? Why did he say it that way? The truth is a combination of the spoken and unspoken. And Booth’s terrific ensemble delivers the relational angst with guarded emotionality."
Third Coast Review
- Recommended
"...A triangle has three sides. But the three sides are not always equal, as we learn in maths. Or geometry, if you’re an American. And so it is in Betrayal, the brief but brittle Harold Pinter play now on stage at Goodman Theatre, directed by artistic director Susan Booth."
Chicago On Stage
- Highly Recommended
"...Such a complicated show can best be told by actors of the highest caliber, and director Susan V. Booth brought together a formidable cast whose resumes include Oscar and Tony wins and nominations. This trio, under Booth’s skillful direction, delivers performances that capture the depth, complexity, and subtle emotional shifts in Pinter’s characters."
PicksInSix
- Recommended
"...It is no surprise that there was high anticipation for the opening Monday of the Goodman Theatre production of Harold Pinter’s “Betrayal,” directed by Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. With a seasoned, all-star cast that includes Helen Hunt, Ian Barford and Robert Sean Leonard, the show is a fictionized account of Pinter’s own marital infidelity."
MaraTapp.org
- Recommended
"...As always, Goodman’s production is a star. Neil Patel’s set with its double-duty living room, bedroom and office, is ideal for the dramas that play out on it. Kudos to Rasean Davonté Johnson for his gorgeous use of black-and-white clips from family movies that connect the scenes from different years."
Chicago Culture Authority
- Highly Recommended
"...This chewy morsel of a show, dramatically rich and deeply disquieting, brings significant star power to the Chicago stage in the form of Helen Hunt and Robert Sean Leonard, who convincingly play two sides of a love triangle completed by Ian Barford, who is every inch their acting equal."
Allie and the After Party
- Somewhat Recommended
"...Framed with nostalgic black and white images and orchestrations evoking reminiscence, Betrayal dives into the relationships between a man and his wife having an affair with his best friend. Though about relationships and connection, Goodman’s production doesn’t hit emotionally for this writer."
BroadwayWorld
- Highly Recommended
"...It's a testament to Pinter's genius that a play can affect adult audiences of all ages after four decades. But it's a testament to the mastery of great artists who can make this relevance so apparent. Under the direction of artistic director Susan V. Booth and bolstered by actors at the heights of their craft, the Goodman's BETRAYAL provides audiences with a sincere and sympathetic take on a modern classic."
NewCity Chicago
- Somewhat Recommended
"...This production touches on the play’s powerful, indirectly conveyed message, but unfortunately there’s too much gloss and not enough grit on stage. The show’s accouterments of stagecraft and celebrity take up too much room, distracting us from the subtext and insinuation that Pinter so cunningly plants within his stripped-down, pause-laden dialogue."
