The Wager

by Mark Medoff

Leeds, a brainy, tart-tongued graduate student, has bet his "super-jock" roommate, Ward (a Phys-Ed major), that Ward can seduce Honor, the wife of a young professor (Ron). But Leeds has also wagered that if Ward is successful, Ron will make an attempt on his life within forty-eight hours. Thereafter, as can be expected, the situation grows progressively more complex, with fun and fear brilliantly juxtaposed. In the resultant comic mix the acerbic Leeds does his best to manipulate circumstances to his own advantage, while narcissistic Ward, bored Honor and bumbling Ron all fall victim to his stratagems. In the end, the result is not tragedy but pure, bubbling comedy, laced with wit and filled with revealing insights into the natures of our four singular and attractive principals.

Genres: Plays, School

72 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1998

About the author

Mark Medoff was an American playwright, screenwriter, film and theatre director, actor, and professor. His play Children of a Lesser God received both the Tony Award and the Olivier Award. He was nominated for an Academy Award and a Writers Guild of America Best Adapted Screenplay Award for the film script of Children of a Lesser God.

Reviews

[Sissy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really really really outdated and fairly offensive….

[MattieC717 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Idk was bored

[p · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick read.

A room full of intellectuals and pseudo-intellectuals. The plot itself is simple enough, but the delivery is complex enough to stay amusing. Two characters never say directly what they mean, but rather communicate through subtlety and implication -this gives the read a very unique flavor.

I really liked Acts 1 and 2. I felt Act 3 fizzled a little, which lowered the rating to 4. If you're a self-declared intellectual, I'd recommend this book.

[Rick Singer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply, one of my favorite plays. Read and acted, many times. The first time I became enlightened to verbal gymnastics.

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