At first, "The Gin Game" seems like a charming little play, in which two elderly people in a nursing home bond over their love of a card game. But by the end of Act I, our illusions are shattered. This is not a love story; it's a battle scene, as the characters attack each other - slyly at first, rancorously by the end - and perhaps even wrestle with themselves. It's a little shocking, unless you're a card player yourself. (The annual Thanksgiving Uno game at the Rezsnyak compound frequently ends in hurt feelings, bruised egos, and at least an entire pumpkin pie devoured out of spite.)

The play opens with longtime nursing home resident Weller Martin (Ken Bordner) on the porch of the home, shuffling cards, drawing up scorecards, and essentially lying in wait for his next card buddy. Enter new resident Fonsia Dorsey (Ginni Pierce), clearly upset about something and stumbling about in a panic. Weller and Fonsia talk about the horror of visitors day - neither of them have any family that can, or want, to come see them - and Weller soon discovers that Fonsia used to love to play gin rummy as a young woman. That's close enough, and with a glint in his eye, he invites her to sit, eager to show off his superior gin-playing skills.

Except Fonsia keeps winning. She wins every hand, despite being a little fuzzy on the rules, and completely ignoring preferred gin strategy. During the game the two talk, revealing little details of their lives, letting tiny secrets slip in unguarded moments, until around round seven or eight, when a perpetually shut-out Weller completely loses it, and the cards - and obscenities - start flying. After that, it's war.

My favorite scripts are the ones that keep things ambiguous, and "The Gin Game" does. It's easy to sympathize with Fonsia, the frail old woman bullied by an out-of-control Weller. But as the second act draws to a close, you start to see Weller's side, too. Fonsia doesn't have to keep playing with him. She chooses to (most of the time). Fonsia doesn't have to keep making those little judgmental comments. That's all on her. And isn't it strange that every single person in her life has turned their back on her? Once the superficial gentility of both characters is scraped away, much more complex, disturbing portraits emerge, and they're both revealed to be the most pitiable creatures of all: humans.

"The Gin Game" is an actor's play. There are only two roles, and very little action or plot, so both actors have a lot of heavy lifting to do. I'll pay Ken Bordner and Ginni Pierce the highest compliment I can think of: they didn't seem like they were acting. For the nearly two hours they were on the stage, I was totally convinced that two people had wandered in from a nearby retirement community and just plopped down at the card table in front of me. They were totally immersed in their characters, and drew the audience in almost instantly.

Bordner and Pierce are old pros with impressive acting resumes, and that experience shows. They're not just acting, they're reacting. Watch the way Pierce silently counts out the cards as Bordner deals them - first all giddy and cute, later practically spitting with frustration. Pay attention to the way Bordner licks his lips with that big, lolling tongue, like a desert lizard desperate for his next meal. Notice how Pierce breaks into an adorable toots-and-whistles version of "Stars and Stripes Forever" while on a roll, and how Bordner's eye practically twitches in response.

Like her actors, director Jean Gordon Ryon had many challenges, and she conquered them all. The show uses one set (a nicely layered one by John Haldoupis; special kudos to whoever got the period-appropriate "Laverne & Shirley" clip to play in the background), and most scenes feature the leads merely playing cards. But Ryon keeps the audience engaged with some clever, totally plausible staging that puts Fonsia and Bordner regularly on the move.

Opening night was marred by a few missed sound cues, and a massive lighting snafu that almost ruined the dramatic conclusion of Act I. (Although it just made me respect Pierce and Bordner more; even in total darkness, they kept going with the scene). But I'm sure those wrinkles have been ironed out, and it's a great production of a thoroughly engrossing tale. 

The Gin Game

Through September 27

Blackfriars Theatre, 28 Lawn St.

$25 | 454-1260 | blackfriars.org