Dealer's Choice

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Dealer's Choice is a play written by Patrick Marber and first performed at the Royal National Theatre in London in February 1995. The action takes place over three acts. Most of the action of the third act revolves around a game of poker. It is set in a restaurant in the east end of London in the mid 1990s.

[edit] Plot

Stephen owns a small restaurant which employs Sweeney (the cook), Mugsy (waiter), and Frankie (waiter). There is a third waiter, Tony, who is mentioned, but never appears in the play. Every Sunday after closing, a poker game is played in the basement by the staff and Stephen's son, Carl.

From the start of the play, we learn Mugsy is attempting to buy a public toilet in Mile End and convert it into a restaurant. Unfortunately, Mugsy lacks the funds, as he lost over £3000 to Stephen several weeks ago. He needs that £3000 to open it, and is hoping to convince Carl to get the money from Stephen (with the idea of then dumping Carl once the place is set up).

Carl, typically, has his own problems. He has a severe gambling addiction which he believes he has kept hidden from his father. He currently owes £4000 to Ash, his poker mentor, who, in turn, owes ten grand to other gamblers. In the second act, Ash has come to the restaurant to collect his money. Carl, having again lost the money he owed, convinces Ash to join the poker game under the pretence of being a former schoolteacher. The staff (believing Ash to be a teacher) accept his inclusion, as the absence of Tony has left a seat available.

Meanwhile, Frankie spends much of the first act convincing Sweeney to play that night in the game. Sweeney is seeing his daughter the following morning and doesn't want to stay up all night getting drunk and losing his money. We also find Frankie to be considered the best poker-player of the group, who believes he is going to become a professional poker player in Vegas.

The second half of the play (Act III) is the poker game.

the rest of the plot will be finished at a later date.