“ART” a play by Yasmina Raza
Shotgun Players
Thursday, March 27, 2026 7:30 pm
“What sort of friend are you?”
The sentence above is on the cover of Shotgun Players current production of “Art”. Three men, actors Woody Harper (Yvan), Benoît Monin (Serge) and David Sinaiko (Marc) portray friends who meet to view Yvan’s acquisition…an all-white painting. The painting provides the opportunity for them to discuss their friendship, their life stories and a wide range of personal, problematic and “art” concerns. It is troublesome and very funny.
The actors are all very good (although Stagebridge ‘miking’ of actors often distorts their lines).
Yvan has bought the painting. Seeing it gives Serge the opportunity to ‘decompose’ his life on stage; Marc, objecting to the painting, provides ‘critical’ judgement on art…and his friends. The play moves very fast, through dialogue, stage activity, furniture moving and ‘scotch tape’ repairs to the set. Beneath the humor and the interaction, the characters offer their various stages of ‘mid-life’ reflections and critical observations.
Serge’s life crisis involves his ‘forthcoming’? marriage and all the interference of the participants. Yvan defends his painting with his particular ‘vision’. Marc, the ‘older mentor’ comments wisely (?) on the others. The play gives the audience an unusual opportunity to deal with men’s ‘crises’…a scenario not often handled in the theater among men themselves. (More often these crises are set in family contexts.) There is humor and irony in the text of “Art”, providing an important perspective and lots of. (but often) grim fun.
“Art” is translated (from French) by Christopher Hampton; Directed by Emile Whelan. It first appeared in Paris, (1994), then London then New York (where this reviewer saw a more sedate production). Stagebridge offers a delightful opportunity to see three fine lively actors give you “Art”.