Poker action is the subject matter for
this two act play set in a London restaurant. Five characters
Steve, the manager, Karl, his son, waiters Mugsy and Frank,
and Sweeney, the chef, meet up for a regular card session
after the restaurant has closed on a Sunday night. On this
occasion they are joined by professional gambler Ash, who is owed
a big sum of money by Karl.
The first act starts brightly with the
ever optimistic Mugsy having the funniest lines. However, the
second act with the the six characters sitting around the table
playing poker degenerates to little more than the characters
slagging each other off. I would lay odds that there isn't another
production around that uses the F word more than this one - ok for
dramatic effect but its unremitting use does grate. The
quality of the acting was uneven. Steve, Mugsy and Ash are
the most successfully portrayed.
There is a problem in the layout of the
venue for the direction of the play in that, with the seating
being arranged on three sides of the stage, most members of the
audience will have a back view of at least one the players
virtually throughout the whole of the second act. Poker is an
interesting subject for theatrical interpretation with its
potential for subtle drama and tension. Unfortunately, this
play is unlikely to be the one to appeal if you are looking for
these qualities.
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