Chiten Theatre's adaptation of Dostoevsky's 'The Gambler' is a whirlwind of kooky dancing, onstage rock, and breakneck pacing that will leave even the most seasoned viewers breathless. This 90-minute rollercoaster takes the classic novella to dizzying new heights, delivering a frenetic experience that will challenge even the most familiar with the plot.
The production is constructed from fragmented pieces of Dostoevsky's text, delivered largely in Japanese at a breakneck speed, often struggling to keep up with the subtitles. The set, designed by Itaru Sugiyama, is an artful representation of the roulette wheel, its spinning action driven by the increasingly frenzied pushes of Alexei, the protagonist's exhaustion mirroring the thrills and drudgery of his addiction.
Chiten Theatre director Motoi Miura abandons naturalism in favour of a rhythmic dialogue that uses highly stylised movements to emphasize the characters' financial precarity. While this approach may not be for everyone, it results in some laugh-out-loud moments, particularly courtesy of Satoko Abe's scene-stealing performance as Grandmother, whose outbursts of 'HA HA HA!' become instantly quotable.
The seven-strong cast delivers a uniformly strong performance, with Takahide Akimoto standing out as the frantic Alexei. His monologues are intense and unflinching, conveying the depths of his obsession with roulette and those around him. The supporting cast, meanwhile, is given distinctive physical traits and phrases that bring much-needed levity to an otherwise dark subject matter.
Make no mistake: this production is not for everyone. The plot is recounting rather than acting out, and key lines are delivered directly to the audience. But if you're in the mood for a raw, immersive experience that puts addiction front and centre, then 'The Gambler' from Chiten Theatre is an unmissable event.
The production is constructed from fragmented pieces of Dostoevsky's text, delivered largely in Japanese at a breakneck speed, often struggling to keep up with the subtitles. The set, designed by Itaru Sugiyama, is an artful representation of the roulette wheel, its spinning action driven by the increasingly frenzied pushes of Alexei, the protagonist's exhaustion mirroring the thrills and drudgery of his addiction.
Chiten Theatre director Motoi Miura abandons naturalism in favour of a rhythmic dialogue that uses highly stylised movements to emphasize the characters' financial precarity. While this approach may not be for everyone, it results in some laugh-out-loud moments, particularly courtesy of Satoko Abe's scene-stealing performance as Grandmother, whose outbursts of 'HA HA HA!' become instantly quotable.
The seven-strong cast delivers a uniformly strong performance, with Takahide Akimoto standing out as the frantic Alexei. His monologues are intense and unflinching, conveying the depths of his obsession with roulette and those around him. The supporting cast, meanwhile, is given distinctive physical traits and phrases that bring much-needed levity to an otherwise dark subject matter.
Make no mistake: this production is not for everyone. The plot is recounting rather than acting out, and key lines are delivered directly to the audience. But if you're in the mood for a raw, immersive experience that puts addiction front and centre, then 'The Gambler' from Chiten Theatre is an unmissable event.
The pacing was insane and the dancing was on point! 
I know some ppl might find it weird that they're speaking in Japanese with subtitles, but honestly it added to the energy of the show. The cast is super talented, especially Takahide Akimoto's Alexei - his monologues were so intense 
. I love how they used movement and physicality to bring out the characters' struggles with addiction. It was like being right there in the midst of the action! 
Can't wait for their next show 
I just got back from watching this adaptation of 'The Gambler' at Chiten Theatre and I'm still reeling! 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to watch a dance party on stage with rock music and breakneck pacing? 
. But if you're in the mood for something raw and immersive that'll put addiction front and centre, then this production is an absolute must-see 
.
! the dancing and rock music added an extra layer to the story, but some parts felt kinda disorienting with all that Japanese dialogue going on fast 
and Takahide Akimoto's Alexei is just so brooding and messed up 
. I'm not sure if I'd recommend it to everyone though, some parts felt a bit...out there 
and i gotta say its gonna be a wild ride! they're not holding back on the energy, all those crazy dance moves & rock music are gonna get u pumped up even if ur watching it alone lol. i love that its an artful representation of the roulette wheel tho, its like you can almost feel the spin in ur hand 
. and satoko abe's performance as grandmom is 
gotta see this!
gotta check out this Chiten Theatre production ASAP! 
. And Satoko Abe's performance as Grandmother? Iconic 
! Takahide Akimoto's monologues sound super intense, too... might just have to catch this show ASAP 
. This 'The Gambler' production is like a wild rollercoaster ride 
, but sometimes I just want to sit back and enjoy a good story told properly. The dancing was crazy 
, but Satoko Abe's performance as Grandmother had me cracking up 
. Still, it's not everyone's cup of tea, I suppose. Maybe I'm just old-school 
...
but once i got into it, i was completely hooked! and satoko abe's performance as grandmothers... girl, she had me DYING 
. The performances were solid, especially Satoko Abe as Grandmother - that HA HA HA moment had me LOLing 
and the cast's energy is INSANE 
! Takahide Akimoto's monologues are intense but also kinda mesmerizing 
! They took all the familiar parts and turned it into this super frenetic experience with lots of kooky dancing & rock music 
...if u r lookin 4 a raw experience tho, this is it 
the dancing and rock music was wild but at times it felt like they were hitting me over the head with a hammer, all that rapid-fire Japanese dialogue was hard to keep up with 
and don't even get me started on how intense some parts were, I literally felt my heart racing alongside Alexei's 
. the cast did an amazing job though, especially Takahide Akimoto as the protagonist, his monologues were SO intense