Art Directed by Nancy Sundstrum May 14 - 29 |
Pictures from Dress Rehearsal |
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ART is a comedy about three friends and the painting that threatens to tear their relationship apart. Aspiring collector Serge buys a very expensive painting that is more than minimalist — it’s all white. His friend Marc, who fancies himself as Serge’s cultural mentor, is revolted, not only by the painting, but by the fact that a friend of his would spend a high sum on what is to him a worthless white canvas. The pair calls on Yvan to settle the dispute, but Yvan’s inability to choose a side divides the trio even further. While the friends’ evening proves near disastrous, the audience’s evening is utterly hilarious as Reza deftly reveals truths about men, art, and the ties that bind them.
Winner of the Olivier Award for Best Comedy in London and the Tony Award for Best Play in New York
Produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. In cooperation with this agreement, no alterations to the script have
been made. Contains adult language.
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Cast: Yvan.........Matt McCormick Serge........Jan Dalton Marc.........Mike Nunn |
Production Crew:
Director Nancy Sundstrom
Asst. Dir. Rick Gould
Producer Kris Hains
Production Asst Judy Baker
Elizabeth Stewart
Set Designer Matt McCormick
Set Producer Jeff Kroger
Lighting Designer Tom Kachadurian
Poster Design Lynne White
Costumes Kathy Verstraete
Properties Ann Norris, Nadia Mathieson, Sue Brown
Hair Yoan Dolfus/Pavlova
Artist Charly Hansen
BAD Liaison Michelle Perez
Old Town Playhouse
By Joe Rice
What would you think if your good friend came home with a new purchase that seemingly has no perceivable value, at least in your own mind and eye? If you have strong feelings and attitudes about it, do you think you would express those feelings and attitudes to your friend? Some friends would. Other friends would be neutral or supportive just to maintain the status quo. This is the focus of a comedy by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton simply called “Art,” ably directed by Nancy Sundstrom at the Old Town Playhouse.” Roughly, the play is a short time in the life of three friends. Serge buys a plain white canvas (well, it's not completely white) for 200 thousand francs (a lot of money!). His friend Marc thinks it's stupid (or worse) and his friend Yvan says he likes it. Argument ensues. What ensues is a lively and very funny 90-minute discussion among the three about the value of this work of art that is simply the fire around which these three wildly dance. The cast includes Jan Dolton as 'Serge', Mike Nunn 'Marc' and Matt McCormick 'Yvan'. In real life as Americans, I doubt Serge, Marc and Yvan would really be friends, but the play was originally by and for Frenchmen who, perhaps, are more passionate about everything, including friendships. However, we are willing to suspend disbelief in this case, and glad we did. While the friends' evening proves near disastrous, the audience's evening is utterly hilarious as we are reminded of truths about men and art, and the ties that bind them.
This play won the 'Best New Comedy' awards at both the 1997 Olivier Awards and the 1996 Evening Standard Awards in London. It ran for over 2,400 shows there. No wonder! It's a gem of theatre. If it were in less competent hands, I could see how it could drag, or the audience might misunderstand what was going on and miss the marvelous humor of it. The content is definitely adult both in the sense that the conversation is above the intellect and experience of most children and the language is a sometimes what might be termed mildly offensive.
One general comment about the show. The actors speak with some sort of accents that are more or less unidentifiable and they tend to come and go. Also, I noted that the translation by Christopher Hampton “Americanizes” the language so the accents affected seem more out of place. You don't here Frenchmen saying “I'm outta here,” for example. Luckily, the accents don't detract for long, and they blend enough to basically disappear.
Early in the show the actors take several asides where they draw the audience in as if sharing with us their thoughts. If another actor is on stage at the moment, he freezes. Thus, the pace is more relaxed near the start, but as the three come together, the tempo picks up until it becomes absolutely dizzying and riveting. The pace and timing of this show is impeccable. Never in the 90 minutes is there a static moment.
Serge (Jan Dolton) plays the perfect sophisticate with impeccable taste in his furniture, his dress, his preferences in art, and apparently everything else. He's a successful dermatologist. While generally he attempts to remain above the escalatingly unsettled Marc, mostly, he is subdued, but when he becomes animated, look out! Serge finally takes to low blows of his own. Jan delivers them with hilarious finality, including firing very funny insults about Marc's wife.
Yvan, who survives by quietly going along with the consensus, is expected to choose sides. Matt McCormick has absolutely nailed this role. Yvan gets some priceless lines that simply mesmerize. One is what in music would be called a cadenza – a virtuoso display of technique at a flying rate of speed. In the operetta “Pirates of Penzance,” Major-General Stanley sings his famous patter song, “I am the very model of a modern major general” as fast as it can be sung. Matt delivers his seemingly endless tirade about his mother-in-law and names on his wedding announcement at the same breakneck speed. It solidly establishes his flighty and manic nature in the show.
Mike Nunn, as Marc the outspoken pragmatist, has a perfectly rubber face that says so very much without words. When he first studies the painting, he goes through a whole gamut of expressions that say all that needs to be said. Marc sees Serge's purchase as not only ludicrous but as an insult to him and their longtime friendship.
Director Nancy Sundstrom obviously has a flair for visual aspects of comedy. There are many pricelessly funny visual bits, some fairly subtle, such as when the three men are sitting together on the couch – Marc with his hands over his eyes, Yvan with his hands cupped around his ears, and Serge with his hand over his mouth. No words were necessary. Another scene that drew roars of laughter was so simple – three men simply eating olives and not saying a thing... Huh? Well, you had to be there!
A tastefully sparse set designed by Matt McCormick featured elegant contemporary furniture such as the famed Bauhaus Barcelona chair by Mies van der Rohe and a beautiful brand new leather couch purchased for the occasion of the play, then to be auctioned off during the Old Town Playhouse Gala on June 19 at the Dennos Museum. The solidly built raised section of the stage helps to create a more intimate setting for the three actors. Stage left and stage right contained small sets suggesting the homes of Yvan and Marc, but most activity took place in the living room of Serge, with the painting sitting on a mantel against a stylish wood-paneled wall.
Costumes were appropriately well done by Kathy Verstraete and helped to create the individuality of each character (the guys looked quite French),. Lighting effects by Tom Kachadurian subtly helped to create the moods in the three acting spaces. “Art” is theatre at its best. The laughs come fast and furious – great entertainment. The show continues at OTP for six more performances.