Betrayal by Harold Pinter. Directed by Jospeh Ziegler for Neptune's Studio Series at the du Maurier Theatre until April 11.

The 1978 play recounts -- in daring backward chronology -- an affair between a middle-aged literary agent and an art gallery owner who happens to be the wife of the agent's best friend. Driven by the precise performances by the three-person cast of Nigel Bennett, Marcia Kash and Martin Evans, this is likely the most fully realized staging of Pinter Halifax will ever get to see.

Director Joseph Ziegler deeply respects the text, paying particular attention to Pinter's many pregnany pauses. Despite that, the productions clocks in at a crisp 80 minutes without an intermission. Pinter lets the story unfold over nine concise scenes, beginning at the ending, and ending at the beginning. It's a masterpiece of structure and compression, with the dialogue and action hinting at a far larger world that looms just below the surface of the words like an iceberg preparing to puncture an unsuspecting vessel.

Ziegler's cool direction lets the actors carry the implications of the story.

Martin Evans plays the agent, Jerry, who is, at times, passionate, naive, nostalgic and reckless. Softly forgetful at times, Evans allows his Jerry a full range of humanity which makes him the most tragic figure of the trio. Marcia Kash's Emma radiates a low-key sense of strength, making her the nominal victor in the three-way, slow-motion domestic struggle.

The most startling performance is by Nigel Bennett as Emma's cuckolded husband, Robert. Adopting an understated, almost indifferent air distinguished by a slight tinge of disdain, Bennett's character is a 180-degree turn from his rampaging psychiatric supervisor from Neptune's previous studio production, Blue/Orange.

With Pinter's short, punchy scenes deftly delivered by Ziegler and the cast, there's little else to distract from the intense three-way drama between the characters.