Synopsis
Three men (or women) accept an invitation to take part in an experiment—a game in which a small room is divided into three equal areas—one for each person. At intervals they recite a slogan: "This is my land. It is mine. It is beautiful, and it is mine." As the game progresses, we see the drive that makes each human want to possess more than his neighbors—a drive that causes hatred ... and starts wars. When this play was published, Dennis E. Noble was a Shubert Playwriting Fellow and Ph. D. candidate at the University of Colorado. Noble had this to say about his play: "A Game begins as farce and ends in deadly earnest. I realize that it is unusual to shift from one mood completely to its opposite, but it was in this move from comic to the serious that I hoped to keep the characters simple in order to hinder emotional identification with them. The characters exist in this play in the service of an idea, and I wished that the dramatization of that idea would strike the viewer hard. And it is in the violent impact of the ending that I hoped the viewer would share Dr. Henning's confusion, and complain as does he: 'But it's only a game!' And it is a game, this playing with nationalism. But it is a deadly game—it kills." In this script—which can be staged simply or with multimedia effects—Noble has combined fantastical elements of the "theatre of the absurd" with realistic aspects of the traditional theatre to produce a play with a powerful impact.
Notes
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Details
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Status
In stock
- Type of Show One-act Play
- Product Code GB1000
- Cast Size 4
- Min. Royalty Rate $40/perf
- Cost $9.95
- Approx. Run Time 25 min
Categories
- Target Audience High School | College and Adult | Senior Adults
- Performing Group High School | College Theatre
- Genre Drama | Farce
- ISBN(13) 9780886800628
Customer Reviews
- "We performed A GAME as part of An Evening of One Acts. It was definitely an audience favorite and super thought-provoking. The production left our audiences with some very memorable stage pictures. Our actors enjoyed diving into the script and choosing various tactics to achieve their objectives. They enjoyed the challenge of moving from comical banter to intense drama. This one will not soon be forgotten."
- Review by Carlene Cearley, Cary Christian School, Cary, N.C.
- "This is a great piece for competition or simple set. Great for dramatic tension and exploration of enduring themes; at first glance the script may seem simple but there is a lot of layers and depth."
- Review by Abigail Kean, Kettle Moraine High School, Wales, Wis.
Hints, Tips, and Tricks
- "Two tips, 1st make sure the first part has good and fast comedic flow with the dr on stage then reset the pace. 2nd when the light is no longer used make it very clear that it is meant to not be on at that point of the audience thinks the light broke or a que was missed. "
- Tip by Gary Sislo, Mosinee HS, Mosinee, Wis.
Production Map
Location | City | State | Opens | Closes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Theatre33 | Bellevue | Washington | 5/5/2023 | 5/20/2023 |
Scott City High School | Scott City | Missouri | 3/17/2023 | 4/2/2023 |
Clark Montessori High School | Cincinnati | Ohio | 5/12/2023 | 5/13/2023 |
Paris Junior College | Paris | Texas | 3/1/2023 | 3/31/2023 |
Guildhall | Barnstaple | Delaware | 6/22/2023 | 6/25/2023 |
Central College | Pella | Iowa | 4/14/2023 | 4/14/2023 |
Skyline High School | Longmont | Colorado | 4/6/2023 | 4/8/2023 |
Valley View High School | Pharr | Texas | 4/6/2023 | 5/19/2023 |
Ardrossan Junior Senior High | Ardrossan | Alberta | 4/20/2023 | 4/20/2023 |