Audiences were laughing, gasping and merely in awe at all the hilarious and slapstick comedy style actions these actors and actresses brought to life on stage in the opening night of the springs production, “The Gamester”, at the Dore Theatre, on Thursday.
The entire theatre seemed to be filled with people. It was an impressive turnout for an opening night. This was one of the greatest performance on an opening night I have ever seen. The actors and actresses had such great chemistry that shined through so clearly.
Petra Carter, a theatre major, played Madame Argante the sister of Angelique in “The Gamester.”
“Madame Argante is definitely one of my favorite roles that I’ve played. I really feel opening night of “The Gamester” could not have gone any better,” said Carter.
“The audience was fantastic and so responsive. Everyone involved in the show has worked so hard and it was incredibly rewarding to hear the audience laugh out loud, gasp, and cheer throughout our show because pleasing our audience is one of our main goals.”
The play starts out with a servant, Hector, speaking of his hunger and wishing his master would just quit gambling all the money away. The characters often spoke directly to the audience with funny, comedic inside feelings of how they truly felt. And Hector did this a lot. Speaking with his master and then turning to tell us, the audience, something a little different. It made the interaction with the audience that much more special. These moments in the play were some of the funniest.
“The audience was engaged the whole time. Their laughter and attention really brought the energy out of the actors, when the actors feel the audience is getting it, they try harder. It is a big cycle that the audience helps out with tremendously,” said Mateo Lara, an English Major and the Stage Manager of “The Gamester”.
Lara also loved the set design. The set showed one room that was many different places.
It was a park or scenic place were Madame Agrante would have a picnic; it was the gambling hall where all characters came for entertainment, especially Valere; and lastly it stood as Valere’s home where so much comedic moments happen. Including a hilarious scene where Madame Securite, played by Christina Goyeneche, comes to seduce Valere.
The costumes were another entertaining element of the play as the women were dress up in huge dresses with all kinds of designs and prints and fancy feathered hats. The men were dressed in tights and some even had high heels. Valere’s uncle Dorante, played by Anthony Jauregui, had a particularly funny costume that worked with his character and funny demeanor the entire play.
The array of unique characters had the whole place laughing. Valere, the main character played by Richard Garibay, was so addicted to gambling he nearly loses the love of his life, Angelique, played by Kara McDonald.
While some are trying to help him quit his addiction so he can marry Angelique, others are trying to sabotage him. The others tried to entice him to gamble again. The two groups were pulling him in so many directions, Valere seemed confused on what to do.
Kelsey Gaines, an English Major with a Minor in theatre, thought the play really exceeded her expectations, “I was very entertained.”
Noah Alatorre, 17 and a prospective theatre student here at CSU Bakersfield, really loved the play.
“I thought the play was amazing, it was hysterical. I really loved the characters and actors. They were extremely outgoing and the play was just amazing,” said Alatorre.
The main character, Valere, showed heart, but had a deep addiction to gamble. This was his dilemma throughout the play. The audience did not know what he was going to do next. This was what truly made the play so intriguing and exciting, a definite recommendation. I give this play four out of five stars for the incredible performances and beautiful costumes.
