It’s not really that hard to figure out the plot twist in The Lover, but it is fun to watch Harold Pinter twist himself into verbal pretzels so that his characters don’t contradict themselves. The Bleeker Theatre Company also seems to have a lot of fun with the play, but their production seems a little shallow. While Pinter’s script is played here as something of a romantic comedy, on close examination, it’s more bizarre and unhealthy than cutesy. It is witty and sexy, though, and it’s refreshing to leave a play that feels too short as opposed to too long.

The Lover concerns an English couple, Sarah (Nola Martin) and Richard (Kevin Walker), who seem to enjoy a sexually open relationship. Their happy arrangement begins to disintegrate, however, as Richard’s jealousy over Sarah’s long-running affair with an afternoon lover becomes unmanageable. The situation unravels through arguments that are often polite to the point of absurdity, all of which take place in their living room (very tastefully decorated by Akiva Romer-Segal). The effect is a little claustrophobic, but appropriate for a play that takes such an uncomfortable look at intimacy.

With only a very brief appearance by a third character, The Lover counts on the chemistry between its leads, and Martin and Walker are fairly believable in their roles. Walker’s Richard seems a bit too schlubby and uptight to hold his own with Martin’s wry, gorgeous Sarah, but eventually manages a convincing transformation into a more formidable partner. Still, except when Richard has a particularly nasty line, this is definitely Martin’s show — and Pinter’s, whose lines here, competently executed, are awfully hard to ruin, even with English accents that come and go.

The production suffers mostly from the venue, which isn’t quite ready for showtime — partially completed construction aside, the hodgepodge mix of seating and the lack of a raised stage makes it difficult to get a complete view of the proceedings. Directors James Wallis and Melanie Easton show an almost cinematic attention to visual composition, especially in the very filmic opening scene, and it would be nice to actually be able to see more of it.