Review (of sorts): Entrapped Marriage of a Gambler

Entrapped Marriage of a Gambler
based on Moliere's The Misanthrope
Mag Korean Theatre Association
Tom Mann Theatre


I had the most marvelous experience a week or so ago. Walking past a conference centre which also hails as a theatre, I saw what looked like a poster-bill advertising some type of performance.

It was clear to me that the writing on the poster bill was Korean but for the life of me there was no way that I could make out what type of show it was. Underneath a big heading and an image of a poker deck was a photo of a man being rejected by a woman. In small lettering down the bottom of the poster were the words “Entrapped Marriage of a Gambler”.

As the venue was closed, I made the point of remembering to come back to the theatre the following evening to see what it was all about.

The next night I head up the stairs and pop my head in to the box office. The last time I had been to this theatre was to see Hedwig and the Angry Inch… a somewhat different show I thought.

A sweet Korean woman is at the box office wearing a bright red and white baseball hat. She is flanked by a very shy young Korean man who is utterly perplexed why this weird anglo man wants to know about their show. After a bit of to-ing and fro-ing I discover that it is the Mag Korean Theatre Association are putting on their own adaptation of Moliere’s The Misanthrope.

My intrigue is growing by the second.

The lady tells me that the show is already half way through but I can return tomorrow to see it from the start at 7pm. How very exciting.

The next evening I head out on my theatre excursion. As I approach the venue I see an unusual amount of hatchback cars trying to find a park. It’s almost as if the entire Korean population in Sydney are going to this play.

I walk up the stairs again to be greeted by the box office staff anticipating my return. A voice from behind greets me. It is the director who approaches, “Hello Mr Pickard.” An amiable and professional looking man, he informs me that he has been doing shows in Sydney for the last 15 years.

As we chat, piles of audience come up the stairs, looked on by a large wharfy looking AMWU venue manager, with his union hat pulled down firmly over a big grey beard and two beady eyes. He gives me that look of familiarity, but I turn my attention back to the director.

After purchasing tickets and collecting my programme, I am led into the auditorium and made to sit in the very front row. A couple of hundred people are already in the auditorium, chatting amongst themselves as Korean pop songs blare over the speaker system.

Ten minutes later and suddenly a voice-over comes over speaking to the audience. It seems to go on forever. What on earth is he telling them? I turn to the person sitting behind me and ask: “oh, he’s just saying where the toilets are and to turn off your mobile phones.”

Lights down and all is quiet. And suddenly as a spot appears, a man jumps out of the shadows and yells at the audience and bows. He must be some type of narrator. The curtains then open to reveal a typical amateur set design the length of the stage with a big sign saying ‘CAFÉ’.

A man and woman are found sitting at a steel table chatting… about something or other. I start to look at other things. Interestingly, their make-up is very different to what I am used to. On the nose is a sharp white streak with heavily highlighted eyebrows. It accentuates the centre of the face and gives the players sharper features. It must be from some type of Korean tradition.

Gradually we move into another scene, this time with some weird computer graphics, as one of the players sits behind a blue screen and her voice is distorted into some type of cartoon character. This is getting bizarre and I still have no idea what is going on, apart from the fact that the central character of the gambler obviously wants to get married. I suspect that gambling might be proving a problem.

The next thing I know, the gambler finds himself drunk and surrounded in the back streets by a herd of good looking young Korean’s. Dressed up with the mixture of street punk, bling and fake channel they make fun of him and get him stoned.

I am anticipating a dance number. There are two many people on stage for there not to be a big dance number. Suddenly the flags suddenly come out, some spunky young dance flips across the stage, ropes appear for the robbing of the drunk and stone gambler and a Massive Attack song starts blaring.

The flags a thrown around as a choreographed number that resembles some Saturday morning video hits song. The gambler is predictably roped up and robbed. The misanthrope meets his downfall!

There are a few more chatter-box scenes, and finally the ending draws near after 90 minutes. The cast come together on stage and Jingle Bell Rock kicks in and they take their bows singing to the audience.

The audience clap and applaud their entertainers and file out but not before the cast has had time to race out from backstage to line the exit to the doors. Bows are exchanged as the cast thank the audience for coming with smiles and short phrases.

The Entrapped Marriage of a Gambler has finished for another night and they are ready for their full house the following evening. In the meantime, I needed a drink.