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By Chris Burbach
Dally Nebra&kan Senior Editor
The University Theatre's production of
Harold Pinter's "Betrayal" sometimes
baffling, sporadically enlightening, occasion
ally humorous and always intense. The
play, as is characteristic of Pinter, has
some very funny moments; but the laugh
ter quickly fades before the work's gravity.
"Betrayal" is a tale of an affair betwen a
man, Jerry, and Emma, the wife of his
best friend (Robert). The age-old tale of
betrayal is told here with a twist, however
the story moves backward in time. The
play begins with Jerry and Emma meet
ing after the affair has finished and ends
with the two naughties in Emma and
Robert's bedroom at the moment of the
affair's inception.
The play climaxes at that moment; all
the action which came before, or after in
this case, makes sense, previous percep
tions are confirmed or discounted and
passion peaks during that bedroom scene.
Robert goes through almost the entire
play with just one facial expression a
sort of vexed glare and a limited set of
vocal inflections to match the expression.
But we hear him laughing before he
encounters Jerry and Emma in his bed
room. Once in the room, Robert assumes
his vexed look, raising questions about
earlier assessments of his character and
about who is the bad guy.
The play is rife with such intimitations
and illuminations, though viewers are
ultimately left to answer questions for
themselves.
Performed in the Temple Building's
Studio Theatre, "Betrayal" has simple
sets; some seven or eight pieces of furni
ture are manipulated to suggest alter
nately a flat, a pub, a restaurant and
other rooms. In such a setting, the burd-
ern of portraying real life falls to the play
ers. "Betrayal's" cast bears that burden
quite well.
Nancy Marcy is Emma, an unhappily
married woman whose extramarital love,
at least what we see of it, provides only
fleeting happiness. Marcy goes from wil
fulness to happiness to sadness, but
neither reaches ecstasy nor plunges to
bitterness.
In contrast, Robert (Charles Bell) is a
bitter man whose only expressed passion
is hatred, his other feelings apparently
having been destroyed by Emma's and
Jerry's affair. Bell's movement and speech
were disturbing early in the play, he
seemed to be pressing but not quite por
traying Robert's feelings. Yet as the story
develops, that becomes more a glimpse
at Robert than a failure by BelL Robert's
fixed face is a dam holding back a power
ful tide of resentment.
Kenneth Page played Jerry, "Betrayal's"
most difficult role. Jerry is a seemingly
affable character who laughs more than
the others and is more of a phony than
either Robert or Emma. Page portrays
well Jerry's ill-at-ease squirming and false
pensiveness as Jerry tries to avoid the
truth.
J. Christopher Wineman is, as weVe
come to expect, excellent in a cameo role
as an Italian waiter. His work and that of
the other non-principal crew members
combine with the players' efforts to create
an almost captiviating performance.
Songwriters win non-contest
Ratatatatatatatatatatatat.... (That's a
drum roll.) The envelope please...Ladies
and gentlemen, we have winners. I am
proud to announce Russ Johnson, Heidi
Burkiund and Brian Mary as non-contest
songwriting victors.
Mary's "Key of E Funk Progression" cap
tured the grand prize for incorporating
punk, rap and country western. Burk
lund's attempt at combining the three
categories garnered her second place in
the noncompetition, and Johnson's Ticks"
took third.
Although there were many entries, very
few adhered to the categories, which is
fine I said there were no rules. But this
dynamic made me unable to award indi
vidual category championships, so there
are just three winners. And here they are!
'Ticks' by Buss Johnson
I went out to mow the lawn
I said, I went out to mow the lawn
Oh yeah, I went out to mow the lawn
Yeah, I went out to mow the lawn.
I looked at my hand, what did I see
A goddamn tick justa crawlin on me.
So then I went out with my girl
I say I went out with my girl.
Now I went out with my girl ; .
I say I went out with my girl
She ran her fingers through my hair
She said, you got a big tick crawling
around in there.
So now I went out with my spray -I
said I went out with my spray
Now I went out with my spray
Yeah I went out with my spray
I sprayed my yard with all my might
And now there isn't a damn tick in sight
(Screamed) Ticks, ticks, yeah, ticks, ticks
(Repeat infinitely.)
Untitled by Heidi Berkltd
Capitalism drains your blood
from your head
Rain on Mondays makes me blue
Corn prices this year are dead
All I can think of is you.
Oh baby, life sucks
Oh baby, does life ever suck.
Anger and hate will kill us all
If high blood pressure don't get us first
Just stop to smell the roses this fall
And listen to the slow mournful
wail of a train on its
way to Cincinnati
Oh baby life sucks real bad
Get out of here before I pound your head
in.
And the winner, the song I will sing in
the shower,
"Key of E Fuak Progression"
By Brian Mary
Farmer Jones he had a pig. EIEIO
With a grunt, grunt here and an oink, oink
there.
Chorus: EIEIO. Down on the farm get
down get down get down get down on the
farm EIEIO get down EIEIO on the farm
EIEIO get down EIEIO on the farm.
And old farmer Jones sez, Lil Piggie I'm
lookin at you with nothin but love you
may believe. "Yippie Ki Oh" And it is not
with malice that I tell you, baby you must
die so that I may live. Uh Huh.
And then the pig sez, Farmer Jones, I
know the score that's what youVe kept
me livin' for. "Just keep in mind when
youVe scarfed me down, that's only half
the merry go round. With a grunt grunt
here and an oink oink there.
Chorus
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Photo Courtasy of J. Christopher Winemsnn
Jerry (right) locks at Ernes, Ms lever end Robert's wife.
Eebert stands behind. Does Jerry know tint Ecbert knows
whst Emma kmms?
Cards am
etters
Is it not a point of pride of the Daily
Nebraska that you are known for your
objectivity and accuracy of "all that
goes into your Daily?
Allow me to assume that one, this is
true and, two, answer one question for
me. It concerns Randy Wymore's Oct. 8
review of U2 Hie Unforgettable Fire.
Q, There is nothing Tcan say about
your sure and certain dislike of Brian
Eno, Wymore, but I question your cred
ibility as a critic by sskmgthis: Why did
you even attempt to review this album
objectively when you obviously owned
a very biased opinion of producer
Brian Eno even before removing the
new album's shrink wrap?
Producer Eno is an innovative stu
dio genius, and Eno's dark, synthetic,
eerie layering highlights this album. It
also complements a very fine perfor
mance of the band. Today, when most
popular bands are becoming drudg-
ingly commercial, I find myself respec
ting U2 for its valiant attempt to give
refreshing new life to its always strongly
emotional albums. Dont confuse this
as a "wimpish" attempt to "...pick up
the gauntlet to save the world."
TomZilMg
freshman
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