Patrick Marber’s play is a jaundiced look at masculinity and shows how men fail at being fathers, sons and friends. During one night of poker the game itself becomes a kind of weapon which the play’s characters use to goad, taunt and humiliate each other. But the portraits presented, though far from flattering, have a good deal of subtlety and depth: occasionally one of the six anti-heroes will wrong-foot the audience by some small display of sympathy or even kindness.
Carl (Griffin Stevens) has an uneasy relationship with his restaurateur father Stephen (Neil Roberts) who taught him poker but now sees his son as an abject failure with a gambling problem. Sweeney (Ben Crowe), Frankie (Samuel Clemens) and Mugsy (Matthew Zilch) all work for Stephen and the already fraught employer-employee relationship is complicated by their weekly all-night poker evenings. The arrival of a sullen, almost menacing, customer Ash (David Keyes) leads to revelations which could see father and son pushed even further apart.
Though it might not sound it from the above description, Dealer’s Choice is a comedy. It might be harsh, and even unpleasant, but it is very funny. Naturally, in this testosterone-charged environment the go-to choice of insult is the one that emasculates. Typically this is done by caustic observations delivered in a lisping voice or referring to each other as a ‘girl’ or ‘little madam’ – and there is the traditional act of simulated buggery without which no critique of masculinity is complete.
The play boasts some truly excellent performances. Zilch is great as the almost-lovable dimwit who, despite the company he keeps, seems to maintain an almost childlike innocence. Roberts has a louche charm, and his portrayal seems balanced on a knife-edge between the paternal and the reptilian. Crowe is excellent as the Everyman – or perhaps Everygeezer – who would be a very good father if, after finally winning access to his daughter, he didn’t gamble away the money he needed to take her on a day out.
Continues until April 16 at 88 London Road.
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