Sheffield Theatres Presents Pinter's BETRAYAL, May 17

Sheffield Theatres presents its debut production of Harold Pinter's masterpiece, BETRAYAL, with John Simm, on the Crucible stage from Thursday 17 May until Saturday 9 June, the culmination of the theatres spring/summer programme.

A heartbreaking comment on love and relationships, Betrayal follows the lives of Jerry and Emma, as they reminisce about times gone by. After a seven year affair, their final meeting brings to light the destructiveness of their betrayal and how a single moment in time would change the lives of everyone around them forever. John Simm (Hamlet) and Bafta Award-winning actress, Juliet Aubrey, play the lovers Jerry and Emma. They are joined by Colin Tierney as Emma's husband Robert who reunites with John Simm, having played the part of Horatio alongside him in Hamlet at the Crucible Theatre in 2010, and Thomas Tinker as the Waiter. Directing this new production is Nick Bagnall, who is Joint Artistic Director of The Milton Rooms in Malton and has directed Billy Liar at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and A Separate Reality (part of The Rough Cuts Season at the Royal Court).

Pinter's 20th play, Betrayal was written and first performed at The National Theatre in 1978. A year later it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play. It is widely regarded as one of Pinter's major dramatic works, and is thought to have been inspired by Pinter's seven year extra marital affair with BBC TV presenter and journalist Joan Bakewell.

Betrayal continues a strong relationship between Sheffield Theatres and the work of Harold Pinter, including productions of The Birthday Party, The Caretaker and Old Times. In 2006 Sheffield Theatres hosted Pinter: A Celebration, an event which Pinter himself attended, and since 2010 a permanent display of an original Pinter poem entitled Laughter, inspired and especially written for Sheffield, is displayed in the Crucible Theatre foyer.

Sheffield Theatres' Artistic Director Daniel Evans said: 'Harold Pinter is a titan of the theatre and Betrayal is widely regarded as his masterpiece. We're thrilled to present it for the first time on the Crucible stage. I am particularly excited to welcome back John Simm and Colin Tierney, having worked together on Hamlet last year, as well as welcoming the brilliant Nick Bagnall, Juliet Aubrey and Thomas Tinker who join us in Sheffield for the first time. This has been an extraordinary year for the theatre, as we celebrate its 40th anniversary while looking forward to the next forty years.'

Betrayal is the culmination of Sheffield Theatres spring/summer programme and forms part of the Crucible's 40th anniversary celebrations, which run until November 2012.

Tickets for Betrayal are on sale now from Sheffield Theatres' Box Office, priced from £10.00 - £23.00. Call 0114 249 6000 or visit sheffieldtheatres.co.uk to book.

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