Written by Seth Wilby
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In the 1990s, Art was the play on everyone’s lips. Having won both the Tony and Moliere Award for Best Play, as well as the Olivier for Best New Comedy, the stakes were high for Joshua Beaumont and Original Theatre’s new production of this exploration of art and male relationships. But, thirty years on, would this play remain a work of art, or would the impact be faded by its acclaim?
Art details the complex bonds between three old friends, triggered by the high-brow Serge’s purchase of a £200,000 painting- a white canvas where, if you squint, you can make out some very faint, white diagonal lines, or, as the horrified Marc calls it, ‘a piece of s**t’. The debate around what actually constitutes art, which the third friend, Yvan, attempts to moderate, quickly spills into a profound breakdown of their friendship as cracks begin to show, and the meeting becomes a fully fledged battle of authenticity.
Yasmina Reza’s writing is eloquent and sophisticated, and Christopher Hampton’s English translation successfully emphasises the class aspects that underlay much of British society. The metaphorical use of the painting is inspired, symbolically linking what is seen in the painting during each stage of the play and what is left of their friendship, ultimately concluding that your relationships are whatever you choose them to be. The play captures a human sense of truth, honesty and humanity, with some moments capable of being genuinely moving, yet most feel like they are never stretched to their full potential. The fact that all three personalities are relatively unlikeable does not help this, sacrificing the opportunity for the audience to develop an emotional connection to the narrative.
My main problem with this play was in its use of humour. While there are undoubtedly hilarious moments, the majority of the play was more chucklesome than it was laugh-out-loud funny, with some of the humour originating from situations that feel wholly inappropriate to be laughing at. Oftentimes the drama and the comedy are not allowed to coexist, with this insistence that each moment can only be one or the other resulting in a somewhat confusing feel of what it is actually trying to be. Perhaps this would have achieved a greater impact if allowed to fully capitalise on its attempts at a more serious social commentary, instead of diffusing any of the created drama through an inconsistent comedic lens.
Interestingly, the play adopts an unusual structure, consisting of a one-act series of fourth-wall breaking monologues, and opinionated duologues, climaxing in a final meeting between all three. Iqbal Khan’s direction has a definite sense of flow, which provides these initial scenes with a fast pacing, meaning nothing is able to drag for too long, with the final scene allowing for fuller depth to be explored since characters and relations are already established. The duologues particularly shine, exhibiting each combination of character and perspective, with these interactions seeming to embody senses of genuine emotion and angst. This is where the comedy is most clear, with each character’s opposing views allowing for numerous humorous exchanges, yet this disappointingly slows when all three are placed together for the final section.
At one point of their discussion, it is mentioned that colour and form are needed to make great art. It is the combinations of these different characters, convincingly personified by the cast of three, that give the story its colour. Seann Walsh is a stand-out as the timidly conflicted Yvan, properly displaying his stand-up roots through a strong comic timing and effective ability to compel an audience- his rant about wedding invitations is a notable audience favourite. Chris Harper’s arrogant Serge is believably presumptuous, with Harper showing an awareness of the extent that these traits need to be played in order to deliver its comic potential. Aden Gillett’s Marc is a good counterpoint to Serge and Yvan, with an emphatic line delivery proving elements of acting prowess, although sometimes Marc’s differences are exposed to the extent that it can make you wonder how they ever became friends in the first place.
The creative elements are what seem to have breathed new life into the play. Ciarán Bagnall has designed a captivating set, which gracefully slides between scenes and seems to evoke abstract ideas in itself, offering a great emphasis of the play’s main themes. Nancy Surman’s costuming successfully enhances this primary-coloured aesthetic, with some ingenious lighting (also by Bagnall) on the controversial white painting itself managing to present some faint, diagonal lines, meaning it enthrals the audience in its own way, allowing opinions on this art piece to be constructed by the audience themselves. Max Pappenheim’s score must also be praised, underscoring each moment delicately and sophisticatedly.
Ultimately, Art is a perfectly fine show, with strong moments and an overall captivating exploration into elements of humanity, fuelled by some admirable technical elements and structural work, yet whether it actually opens any chances for further discussion is questionable. Some moments of comedy drag thin, others manage to excel, an unfortunate theme for this play that alternately achieves sophistication or finds itself stuck trying to do so.
Art continues its UK tour until October 26th
For tickets and information visit https://artthecomedy.com
Photos by Geraint Lewis