Gin Game?

[emh1969]

Has anyone seen this play? If so, can you tell me where the theatre is? I've tried to go twice but I'm stumped...I've gone to Kad Suan Kaew shopping center, gone up to where the movie theatre is...and can't figure out what to do next. And I don't see any signs. The ad for the play says it's "in the 7th floor Studio Theater, inside Central Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Mall."

Thanks!

Ed

[Ulysses G.]

If you go in the front door of the mall, turn left at the first entrance to Central Department Store and there are elevators on the left side right before you enter Central.

Go in and Push 7.

[tipsy]

And is it worth watching?

[emh1969]

Thanks! And where exactly is the front entrance? I always enter along the side, where the food court is. I assume if I walk further down the road, I'll come to the front entrance. Seems to make sense.

[Ulysses G.]

And is it worth watching?

It sounds good, but I haven't seen it.

The front entrance to Kad Suan Keaw Shopping center is up the stairs past Starbucks near the entrance to Sizzler.

[neilrob]

And is it worth watching?

It sounds good, but I haven't seen it.

The front entrance to Kad Suan Keaw Shopping center is up the stairs past Starbucks near the entrance to Sizzler.

I saw their previous play, The Dodo Bird, and was disappointed. In spite of that, I was planning to see this one, but was dissuaded by a friend who says that, while the male lead is good, the female lead is not. I would be interested in other people's experience.

[SwaziBird]

And is it worth watching?

It sounds good, but I haven't seen it.

The front entrance to Kad Suan Keaw Shopping center is up the stairs past Starbucks near the entrance to Sizzler.

I saw their previous play, The Dodo Bird, and was disappointed. In spite of that, I was planning to see this one, but was dissuaded by a friend who says that, while the male lead is good, the female lead is not. I would be interested in other people's experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed opening night with the consumate actor Stephan Turner turning in his expected excellent performance of this great two-person play.

Joyce Matchett , considering this was her first ever performance in amateur theatre, did , I thought, exceptionally well.

Despite the late cast-change which, no doubt put great stress on both players, the performance was smooth and convincing.

The intimacy of the theatre and the simple set and effects lent to the overall enjoyment of the performance.

Of course, the part of the lady in this two-person performance has been given to two players, Joyce Matchett & Laura Godtfredson

I have not seen the latter's performance so cannot comment.

Cheers.

(with apologies to the performers for possible incorrect name spellings )

[emh1969]

And is it worth watching?

It sounds good, but I haven't seen it.

The front entrance to Kad Suan Keaw Shopping center is up the stairs past Starbucks near the entrance to Sizzler.

I saw their previous play, The Dodo Bird, and was disappointed. In spite of that, I was planning to see this one, but was dissuaded by a friend who says that, while the male lead is good, the female lead is not. I would be interested in other people's experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed opening night with the consumate actor Stephan Turner turning in his expected excellent performance of this great two-person play.

Joyce Matchett , considering this was her first ever performance in amateur theatre, did , I thought, exceptionally well.

Despite the late cast-change which, no doubt put great stress on both players, the performance was smooth and convincing.

The intimacy of the theatre and the simple set and effects lent to the overall enjoyment of the performance.

Of course, the part of the lady in this two-person performance has been given to two players, Joyce Matchett & Laura Godtfredson

I have not seen the latter's performance so cannot comment.

Cheers.

(with apologies to the performers for possible incorrect name spellings )

I assume the cast-change you're referring to is the fact that the male lead had to drop out at the last minute and the director took over for him?

[L&J]

This production is very well done. The facility they are using has been transformed into

a very creditable stage and set. The lighting is as professional as possible given the limited

equipment available. Both performers handled a difficult play without any problems and

were quite entertaining. Attend one of the remaining performances and you will be entertained

and you will be encouraging more productions in the future. By the way finding the theatre

is a most interesting ascent into the labyrinth of the Kad Suan Kaew Mall- though it is a little

frightening to consider what it would be like to get out of the place in an emergency. JOHN

[SwaziBird]

And is it worth watching?

It sounds good, but I haven't seen it.

The front entrance to Kad Suan Keaw Shopping center is up the stairs past Starbucks near the entrance to Sizzler.

I saw their previous play, The Dodo Bird, and was disappointed. In spite of that, I was planning to see this one, but was dissuaded by a friend who says that, while the male lead is good, the female lead is not. I would be interested in other people's experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed opening night with the consumate actor Stephan Turner turning in his expected excellent performance of this great two-person play.

Joyce Matchett , considering this was her first ever performance in amateur theatre, did , I thought, exceptionally well.

Despite the late cast-change which, no doubt put great stress on both players, the performance was smooth and convincing.

The intimacy of the theatre and the simple set and effects lent to the overall enjoyment of the performance.

Of course, the part of the lady in this two-person performance has been given to two players, Joyce Matchett & Laura Godtfredson

I have not seen the latter's performance so cannot comment.

Cheers.

(with apologies to the performers for possible incorrect name spellings )

I assume the cast-change you're referring to is the fact that the male lead had to drop out at the last minute and the director took over for him?

Yes . Stephan Turner had to shift from Producer to Actor/Producer at very short notice.

Stephan's performances are usually "seamless" and you wouldn't have noticed the transition but, for Joyce ( and I imagine Laura ) , learning to react with a new player opposite her must have been pretty challenging and stressful. I re-iterate. The performances of both were very convincing.

Bravo !

Cheers.

[bhatmasterson]

Has anyone seen this play? If so, can you tell me where the theatre is? I've tried to go twice but I'm stumped...I've gone to Kad Suan Kaew shopping center, gone up to where the movie theatre is...and can't figure out what to do next. And I don't see any signs. The ad for the play says it's "in the 7th floor Studio Theater, inside Central Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Mall."

Thanks!

Ed

I saw this play twice because I wanted to see both Fonsias perform. Of the two, I think Joyce Matchett, who will be performing for the next two weekends, is the stronger actor. I agree with the above post that Stephan Turner's performance as the much older, Weller Martin, is top notch. The best time to see the show, in my opinion, is this weekend or next weekend. After that, the last two performances are benifits for the Zonta organization and tickets will be hard to get.

[Flatouthruthefog]

This production is very well done. The facility they are using has been transformed into

a very creditable stage and set. The lighting is as professional as possible given the limited

equipment available. Both performers handled a difficult play without any problems and

were quite entertaining. Attend one of the remaining performances and you will be entertained

and you will be encouraging more productions in the future. By the way finding the theatre

is a most interesting ascent into the labyrinth of the Kad Suan Kaew Mall- though it is a little

frightening to consider what it would be like to get out of the place in an emergency. JOHN

All these comments seem positive, encouraging, and from what I heard socially this very night, justified.

The pre publicity was NOT good, the location of the theatre IS difficult but tonight i heard much genuine curiosity and a few remarks to the effect that to stage it for so many nights was brave and bodes well for the future.

Chiang Mai needs and deserves talent and bravery like this!

[chicagogato]

Has anyone seen this play? If so, can you tell me where the theatre is? I've tried to go twice but I'm stumped...I've gone to Kad Suan Kaew shopping center, gone up to where the movie theatre is...and can't figure out what to do next. And I don't see any signs. The ad for the play says it's "in the 7th floor Studio Theater, inside Central Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Mall."

Thanks!

Ed

The Gate Theater Group of Chiang Mai Presents

"The GIN GAME"

An Intense, Spirited Stage Drama, By American Playwright, D. L. Coburn

May 2nd. 2008 Chiang Mai, Thailand

American actor, theater director turned English teacher, brings another raw-emotional, vibrant stage play from the theaters of New York and Chicago to the studio theater at the Kad Theater, Chiang Mai.

The Gate Theater, founded by Stephan Turner, will open the 2008 season with a rendition of "The Gin Game" by D. L. Coburn. The 2 Act, 2 character drama will be presented to audiences throughout the wet months beginning Friday, June 13th with additional performances scheduled each Friday and Saturday afterwards with the exception of the weekend of July 4th, when we will perform on Saturday and Sunday July 5th and 6th. The show closes on July 12th.

For 2008, the Gate Theater Group will be performing in the 7th floor Studio Theater, inside Central Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Mall a, change from the previous AUA venue. Doors open at 7:00 pm for each performance with curtain at 7:30.

Suggested donation 300 Bt.

"We were very successful with our first production, "The Dodo Bird" which had two performance runs, before and after the Christmas holiday season." Stephan said recently. "Now, we're ready to attempt a full season of theater much in the same practice as theater groups in the U.S and England do. We plan to provide performances of 3 different dramas this year, with 10 – 12 performances each, which should take us up to December and we would like to top it off with a Christmas piece that should be fun to watch."

"The Gin Game" is a two-act, four-scene play about a woman in her twilight years, Fonsia Dorsey, who enters a "home for the aged" and is for a while, saved from melancholy by the crusty charm of Weller Martin. The sardonic Weller cajoles Fonsia into playing a series of gin games on the home's sunlit porch. As they seemingly become close companions, much is revealed about their respective regret-filled lives -- to the steady shuffling and playing of cards. Their mutual need for solace is momentarily satisfied, until Weller's pent-up rage, and Fonsia's subtle needling, build to a terrible confrontation.

The author, D. L. Coburn, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1938. He came to prominence in 1977 with The Gin Game, which was his first play. The Gin Game ran on Broadway for 516 performances and subsequently toured the nation with its original cast of Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy to sold-out houses in Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and a half-dozen other cities before touring in England and Russia. It has since had productions in virtually every country of the western world, including France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Romania, Israel, Hungary, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and South Africa, as well as heralded productions in Australia, Japan and China. In 1978 the play garnered four Tony nominations and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for drama. It was also made into a film starring Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore.

Plays Mr. Coburn has written since The Gin Game include Bluewater Cottage (1979), Guy (1983), Noble Adjustment (1985), Return to Blue Fin (1991), Fear of Darkness (1995), Firebrand (1997) and The Cause (1998). Additionally, he has written television pilots for CBS and ABC and several screenplays, including Flights of Angels (1987), A Virgin Year (1991) and Legal Access (1994).

For more information or to make a reservation write to [email protected]

[emh1969]

So I made it out tonight to see the play. I agree that Steven Turner's performance was excellent. Joyce Matchett was a bit uneven...at times she was quite good, at other times she was flat. The play itself...all I can say is that I have no idea why it won the Pulitzer. I've seen a fair amount of theatre in my life and I'd have to rank this near the bottom of the things I've seen. Again, not because of the performances, but because of the play itself. Maybe I missed something. I don't know.

Despite that, I would encourage people to check it out for themselves. The cost is only 300 bahts. And maybe you'll like the play more than I did.

[Rice_King]

So I made it out tonight to see the play. I agree that Steven Turner's performance was excellent. Joyce Matchett was a bit uneven...at times she was quite good, at other times she was flat. The play itself...all I can say is that I have no idea why it won the Pulitzer. I've seen a fair amount of theatre in my life and I'd have to rank this near the bottom of the things I've seen. Again, not because of the performances, but because of the play itself. Maybe I missed something. I don't know.

Despite that, I would encourage people to check it out for themselves. The cost is only 300 bahts. And maybe you'll like the play more than I did.

I saw this play tonight and I agree 90% with emh1969's comments. I thought that the acting was top-notch by both Turner and Matchett -- nearly forgetting I was watching actors. Although I was entertained, I just didn't care much for the story line. Worth the admission price just to see the two practicing their craft. Go check it out.

Edited June 28, 2008 by Rice_King