Art

Canvassing Opinions

Art

by Yasmina Reza

OHADS at the Coward Studio, Hampton Hill Theatre, until 2^nd March

Review by Steve Mackrell

Yasmina Reza’s articulate comedy, Art is very much an actor’s play, and raises intriguing questions about the nature of art and friendship.  The plot concerns three long-term friends, Serge, Marc and Yvan.  Serge has purchased an expensive painting which is basically a 4 x 5m white canvas with a few faint diagonal lines at the base.  Proud of his purchase, Serge invites his friend Marc to admire the painting at which point their vastly different tastes in art become increasingly apparent.  Battle lines are drawn once Marc dismisses the painting as “a piece of white shit” whence all pretence of civilised communication between the two men is laid bare.  What starts as a minor disagreement over a painting develops into serious arguments which questions the very nature of their friendship.  The civilised relationship between Serge, the modernist, and Marc, the traditionalist, degenerates into anger.  Then, to try and reconcile their differences they turn to a mutual friend, Yvan, to mediate.

Ostensibly, this is a play about a painting, but the real theme of the play is the frailty of friendship.  The painting acts as a device to explore the subjective nature of art and how it affects the individual beholder.  Director Harry Medawar, true to his instincts, has again chosen a challenging play and Art is full of non-stop crossfire, witty, intelligent language which is absorbing, funny, intense and thoroughly thought-provoking.  All of this is ignited by an inspired choice of casting which lifts the production to even new heights. 

Playing Serge, the purchaser of the painting, is Vaughan Pierce, who creates a self-assured and enthusiastic character who encourages us to believe in his emotional attachment to what is essentially a blank white canvas.   His performance also manages to contrast this enthusiasm with a vulnerability that ultimately allows the audience to feel sympathy for the possible foolishness of his purchase.     

Marc, who according to Serge is an intellectual and “enemy of modernisation”, is played by Nigel Cole, whose initial reaction of incredulity to his friend’s naivety is brilliantly observed.   His performance, as a man of tolerance increasingly exasperated by his friend’s behaviour, is sincere and honest.  Increasingly outraged by Serge’s purchase of the painting, he pours increasing scorn on his friend’s folly.  Nigel Cole’s well-judged ability to portray the slow build-up of rage is exemplary until, ultimately unable to hide his anger under a veneer of politeness, his sophistication gives way to an uncontrollable outburst of breath-taking anger which simply stunned the audience at press night. 

Playing the mediator between Serge and Marc is their mutual friend, Yvan, played by Peter Easterbrook, complete with an absorbing back story, and whose well-meaning intervention attempts to restore tolerance and harmony.  Displaying an easy-going honesty his character only succeeds in managing to pour more fuel on the fire.  His performance includes a magnificently delivered soliloquy which received a well-deserved round of applause.  In fact, the scenes where each character directly addresses the audience with their inner thoughts are all greatly engaging.

Overall, this play provides a magnificent canvas on which to explore the merits and perhaps futility of art.  The stimulation of the play is a reminder that we all view art differently, according to our individual imagination, and while there is no right or wrong opinion, the importance is the exchange of ideas. 

Indeed, it’s probably fair to say that paintings can divide opinion in much the same way that plays can divide opinions of theatre audiences.  Everyone interprets art (and theatre) differently using their individual judgement.  It could also be argued that interpreting a painting can give rise to much pretentious claptrap? Perhaps the same could even be said about theatre reviews?

Steve Mackrell, February 2024

Photography by cottonbro studio and OHADS