The Gin Game's Return to Broadway

Reveiwed By A.J. Muhammad

Despite reports of Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones asking audiences not to applaud during their entrances in the recent revival of D.L. Coburn’s 1970s written play “The Gin Game,” attendees couldn’t help it at the performance this reviewer attended.  Rightfully so: the two reunited onstage for the first time in five decades.

In The Gin Game, Tyson and Jones play lonely residents of a low rent old age home. Jones is the foul-mouthed and grumpy Weller Martin who thinks he’s schooling Tyson’s spry Fonsia Dorsey on playing gin. Fonsia proves to be a quicker study than she initially leads on and repeatedly beats Martin which leads to his violent outburst at the end of the first act.  Are the questions of will Weller ever win at gin no matter how determined he is, and how they arrived at their lot in life enough to sustain a two act play?  Not really, nor does the play being cast with African American actors illuminate the text or reveal layers that might not have been explored in previous productions. After a long hiatus from Broadway, except for her Tony award winning in performance in 2013's “A Trip To Bountiful,” Tyson proved she is still an MVP when she loses her restrained composure late in the second act and gives as good as pushy and aggressive Jones gets.  Both performers deliver a masterclass in craft from a whiskey shot size of a play.

The playing space -- a run down wooden two story back porch facade with a pile of junk on one side of the stage -- designed by Riccardo Hernandez mirrors the declining health of both the residents and uncaring staff we never see but only hear about.  Director Leonard Foglia lucked out on a play that is director proof especially with his veteran actors, but why co-sign on distracting onstage rain during the last 20 minutes of the show? The same rain storm effect could’ve been achieved by lighting and made the dialogue audible.  

Not surprisingly, a large number of African Americans -- both Gen X-ers and baby boomers -- were in the audience, and they oohed and ohhed whenever Jones’ Weller insulted or cursed at Tyson’s Fonsey.  It’s this audience who showed up to see Tyson’s triumphant return to Broadway in 2013’s  “A Trip to Bountiful” and they are two demographics who are vastly underserved and underappreciated on Broadway, Off-Broadway and otherwise.  Are you listening producers?

by D.L. Coburn. Directed by Leonard Foglia. Set Design: Riccardo Hernandez. Lighting Design: Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer. Sound Design: David Van Tieghem. At the Golden Theater 252 W. 45th St. Ran Sep 23, 2015-Jan 10, 2016.