New Theatre to Present HOUSE OF GAMES, 9 Aug-10 Sept

Psychoanalyst Margaret Ford, the author of a best-seller on compulsive behaviour, compromises her professional reputation when she offers to help one of her patients settle his gambling debts.

Drawn into the seedy world of Chicago poker clubs and seduced by a charismatic hustler, Margaret starts out on what she thinks is an academic study but finds herself caught up in complex and dangerous con.

Playwright Richard Bean (One Man, Two Guvnors; Harvest) has taken the cult film written and directed by David Mamet, and created a taut, funny and sexy noir-thriller about obsession and the lengths we go to get what we desire.

HOUSE OF GAMES is in the best tradition of the 'con' caper - think The Sting, The Grifters and Ocean's Eleven - and New Theatre is excited to be presenting this Australian premiere.

David Mamet is one of America's leading dramatists, as well as a screenwriter and director of stage and screen. HOUSE OF GAMES started life as a film, starring Joe Mantegna and Lindsay Crouse, winning the Best Film and Best Screenplay awards at the 1987 Venice Film Festival.

New Theatre's recent production of The Cherry Orchard used Mamet's adaptation.

Director Louise Fischer has a passion for the work of Richard Bean, writer of this stage version, having directed the Australian premieres of three of his earlier plays: The God Botherers (Darlinghurst Theatre Co), Honeymoon Suite and Harvest (both New Theatre). Bean is probably best known for One Man, Two Guvnors, his hugely successful adaptation of the commedia classic The Servant of Two Masters.

"I was attracted to the play because it was dangerous and gave insight into a world that is deceptively enticing," says Fischer. "Like Margaret, I was drawn to the world of the grifter. You know it's wrong but you can't help admiring the sheer genius of the con. I think audiences will enjoy the thrill of the chase...their chase in trying to stay ahead of the game."

The creative team for HOUSE OF GAMES includes set designer John Cervenka (The Women); lighting designer Louise Mason (The Ritz, The Heidi Chronicles); costume designer Deborah Mulhall and Sound Designer Amber Wilcox. Technical expertise in the art of poker is being provided by magician and card whiz Wayne Van Keren.

The cast includes Katherine Shearer (Bitch Boxer­ - Bull Ant, Scenes From an Execution - Tooth & Sinew, The Farnsworth Invention - New Theatre), Ben Brock (The Crucible - New Theatre), Benjamin Vickers (The Cherry Orchard, Harvest, The Ham Funeral - all New Theatre), Mark Langham (The Poor Kitchen - subtlenuance, Return to Earth - Griffin Independent, Book of Days - New Theatre), Cheyne Fynn (Angels in America - Monkey Baa, To Kill a Mockingbird, Enron - New Theatre), and Anne Brito, Charles Jones, Rebecca Levy, Colin McCarlie, and Cindy Wang.

IF YOU GO:

HOUSE OF GAMES

SEASON 9 August - 10 September

At New Theatre, 542 King Street Newtown

PERFORMANCES:

Previews: Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 August 7.30pm

Opening Night: Thursday 11 August 7.30pm

Season: Thursday - Saturday 7:30pm, Sunday 5pm

Final performance: Saturday 10 September 5pm

TICKET PRICES: $17 - $32

BOOKINGS: NEWTHEATRE.ORG.AU (no booking fee)

EVENT URL newtheatre.org.au/season-2016/house-of-games