The Gin Game

Past, sweeping away of time, memories that never come back, regrets that leave their scars and dreams that were never fulfilled. None of this strike back as vividly than to the two people in their twilight years playing Gin in an old age home. That’s the powerful and enchanting theme of D.L Cubern’s Pulitzer Prize wining two Acts – two character play The Gin Game brought to Chiang Mai this summer by The Gate Theater Group.

The Gin Game unfolds itself with lively yet revealing encounters between Weller Martin and Fonsia Dorsey. Weller is seemingly an unnoticeable old man killing his time by playing cards in an old age home till he meets Fonsia. Things change suddenly for both of them, as she challenges his Gin skills by beating him in every game that they play. This infuriates Weller and the game becomes a focus of their sparking encounters and moving relationship. Weller and Fonsia’s chats, fights, gossips and intense rivalry reveals to the audience, of who they are. Characters so familiar and identifiable, yet easy to ignore in daily course life. The old people living quietly with their suppressed anger struggling to live the “rest of their lives�. “Loneliness – its as simple as that,� Weller Martin puts the dilemma in honest words.

The Gin Game is the second drama venture in the city by Stephan Turner, founder of The Gate Theater Group, who got noticed for his wonderful performance in The Dodo Bird by Emanuel Fried, acted and directed by Stephan himself. He is a graduate from Goodman School of Drama and The Theater School of DePaul University. He also founded Stage Actors Ensemble of Chicago, and brings his wide experience from Chicago to the Chiang Mai theater scene. Due to the ailment of Ron Kadsan who was suppose to play Weller, Stephan took up the role himself and gave a brilliant performance and earned huge applause from the audience in its first performance on 13 June.

The convincing and powerful acting of Joyce Matchett as witty, seemingly proud yet vulnerable Fonsia was surely a treat to watch for the audience. She asserted the character of Fonsia really well and it was hard to tell that this was Joyce’s debut in theater drama. Along with being a painter and writer, Joyce has spent most of her years traveling and living around the world. She comes from Minneapolis, Minnesota and now is living in Thailand for five years.

Despite being a small group, The Gate Theater surely managed to touch an emotional yet witty story through a brilliantly written piece of literature. Chiang Mai which is not known much for English theater enjoyed the presence of local and international audience alike in the Gin Game, something done purely for the sake of art. Its thirst for more English plays will be catered soon by many upcoming projects of The Gate Theater group. The Gin Game performances will follow every Friday and Saturday till 12 July. The play surely provides a good food for thought along with entertainment for weekends, and is one of not to be missed events.