ART: Friendships Are Compromised Over A ‘Shit’ Painting In This Hilarious Play

Comedy is all about bringing people together through laughter and transporting us away from the pressures of life for the duration of the show. ART is a comedy of manners, which has successfully accomplished this.

Written by French playwright Yasmina Reza, her satirical plays explore human relationships. Initially staged in Paris in 1994, ART has since been a popular theatrical production globally, translated into 30 languages.

The show played to packed houses in Broadway, New York and premiered in Sydney in 1999. This new production is directed by Lee Lewis and stars theatre heavyweights Richard Roxburgh, Damon Herriman and Toby Schmitz.

How many times have we asked ourselves; should we be completely honest with our friends about choices they have made? Should we ‘bend the truth’, or more aptly, lie, telling them what they want to hear so that the friendship is not compromised? Ultimately are there rules to govern the art of friendship?

Everyone is a critic but perhaps at times it’s best not to be so critical – a theme which resonates throughout this witty, fast moving and laugh-out-loud comedy, which explores the looming downfall of a friendship between 3 men, owing to a bland and uninspiring painting.

When Marc tells Serge, his friend of 20 years, that he has been ripped off in purchasing a contemporary painting for 160,000 euros it ignites discussions which erupt into a fierce but comical explosion of emotions. Marc describes the painting as a canvas 5ft by 4, a white background with off-white diagonal lines. Yvan also gets in on the fun adding spice to the narrative with the hilarious happenings delving on his fiancé and their disastrous wedding planning.

Marc (Richard Roxburgh) is independent minded and doesn’t believe in the rules of contemporary art. Serge (Damon Herriman) is pompous and a divorcee – a collector and connoisseur who believes he has just acquired a well-priced painting. Yvan (Toby Schmitz) is eccentric, perhaps unstable and not terribly intelligent. These are the three amigos who are throwing insults around over a painting, but the insults ultimately become personal.

Audiences may ponder about Marc’s highly strung over-reaction that he hurt so profusely because his friend, in his opinion, was ripped off. He claims to love Serge but is unable to love the Serge who bought that “shit” painting. Are vicious and highly heated opinions applicable in the art of friendship?

ART explores several themes: the dark times when friends passionately disagree on matters; what may be deemed as art in one’s eyes may not be in another’s; male ego/masculinity and most importantly the fragility of friendships.

The reason for the success of this comedy is the casting. These three brilliant actors bring infectious chemistry, their comedic timing is perfect, and they clearly work well as a trio. Their comedic styles create hilarious and memorable scenarios and they’ve mastered the art of playing off each other’s strengths which feels refreshing and genuine.

Is the white painting art or ‘shit’ as proclaimed by Marc? Audiences should come along to this 90-minute laugh-a-thon and judge for themselves. It’s the style of comedy where one viewing is not enough – guaranteed you’ll return for encore performances!

ART is on until March 8 at Roslyn Packer Theatre.