Chiten Theatre: The Gambler

Based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky

★★★★ “A vital and dramatic production… it’s definitely worth taking a bet on” – thespyinthestalls

★★★★ “An invigorating ensemble performance, highly energetic and electric” – London Unattached

“An entertaining, fascinating production” – Broadway World

Kyoto-based Chiten Theatre, led by director Motoi Miura, return to The Coronet with a dazzling new interpretation of Dostoevsky’s internationally celebrated classic novel The Gambler.

Dostoevsky’s biting portrait of chance, class, ambition and desire is reimagined through Chiten’s distinctive theatrical language – fragmented, musical, and raw – and underscored live by the pulsing soundscapes of experimental rock trio kukangendai.

A roulette addict himself, Dostoevsky wrote The Gambler in 1866 under a strict deadline to pay off his gambling debts. He bet the publishing rights of all of his past and future works, wagering that he would complete the novel within 30 days.

Chiten’s production of Osamu Dazai’s GOOD-BYE sold out in record time at The Coronet in 2024, gripping audiences with its remarkable adaptation of a literary classic.

Presented in Japanese with English surtitles.

Text: Fyodor Dostoevsky

Translation: Ikuo Kameyama

Direction: Motoi Miura

Music: kukangendai

Cast: Takahide Akimoto, Midori Aioi, Yohei Kobayashi, Satoko Abe, Dai Ishida, Masaya Kishimoto, Shie Kubota

Set design: Itaru Sugiyama

Costume design: Colette Huchard

Lighting design: Yasuhiro Fujiwara

Sound design: Bunsho Nishikawa

Stage manager: Atsushi Ogi

Producer: Yuna Tajima

Supported by the Agency for Cultural Affairs , Government of Japan and JLOX+

POST-SHOW Q&A

We will be hosting a post-show Q&A with director Motoi Miura after the performance on Friday 06 February. Delivered in Japanese with a professional interpreter. The Q&A is free for ticket holders.

Motoi Miura: Artist Talk

On Saturday 14th of February, Motoi Miura, Artistic Director of Chiten Theatre, discusses theatre creation, company practice, and the future of theatre, using Chiten’s archives. Delivered in Japanese with a professional interpreter. Free to attend. More info here.

Kuniko Maeda: The Room – Sculpture Exhibition

Running alongside performances of The Gambler is The Room, a free exhibition by artist Kuniko Maeda, whose work combines traditional Japanese craft techniques with contemporary processes to explore themes of transformation, impermanence, and sustainability. Click here to find out more.