The Gin Game

[edjames]

A revival of the Pulitzer, Tony and Drama Desk award winning play The Gin Game is back on Broadway starring two powerhouse actors, James Earl Jones and Ciecly Tyson.

 

Weller Martin and Fonsia Dorsey, two elderly residents at a nursing home for senior citizens, strike up an acquaintance. Neither seems to have any other friends or nearby family who visit. Weller offers to teach Fonsia how to play gin rummy, and they begin playing, and Fonsia always wins. Weller's inability to win a single hand becomes increasingly frustrating to him, while Fonsia becomes increasingly confident. Weller's inability to win a hand shows an unattractive angry streak.

 

While playing their games of gin, they engage in conversations about their families and their former lives in the outside world. Gradually, each conversation becomes a battle, much like the ongoing gin games, as each player tries to expose the other's weaknesses, to belittle the other's life, and to humiliate the other thoroughly.

 

It was a wonderful production and performance. It doesn't get any better than these two seasoned performers. Look out Tony Awards, here are next year's nominees. Tyson is not only adorable but feisty and defiant. It's so nice to watch and hear a performer like James Earl Jones who has such wonderful diction and projection.

 

The set, the back of the rundown nursing home, looks a bit like the junkyard of Sanford & Son. Old wheelchairs, walkers and assorted nursing home paraphernalia are piled up.

 

Brilliant!

[actor61]

I hate "The Gin Game" so the only thing that would tempt me to sit through it again is your description of Tyson's and Jones' performance. I saw the original with Tandy and Cronyn, saw a summer stock production with Julie Harris and Charles Durning, saw the horrendous t.v. production with Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore, and have sat through a couple of community theatre productions that were excruciating. But I'll take your word that this version is good.