What Allows Us to Accept Theater and Art Is a Phenomenon Called
'Art' | |
---|---|
Written by | Yasmina Reza |
Date premiered | 28 October 1994 |
Place premiered | Comédie des Champs-Élysées, Paris |
Original language | French |
Genre | One-act |
Setting | The Paris apartments of Serge, Marc, and Yvan |
'Fine art' is a French-language play by Yasmina Reza that premiered in 1994 at Comédie des Champs-Élysées in Paris. The play subsequently ran in London in 1996 and on Broadway in 1998.
Productions [edit]
The play premiered on 28 Oct 1994 at Comédie des Champs-Élysées in Paris.
The English-language adaptation, translated past Christopher Hampton and directed by Matthew Warchus opened in London's West End on xv Oct 1996 at the Wyndham'south Theatre (before moving to the Whitehall Theatre in October 2001) starring Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay and Ken Stott, produced by David Pugh and Sean Connery running for eight years until 3 January 2003, with Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton and Mark Gatiss (aka The League of Gentlemen) in the terminal cast.[i]
'Fine art' played on Broadway in New York at the Royale Theatre from 12 February 1998 to viii Baronial 1999, once again produced by Pugh and Connery, plus Joan Cullman. The opening cast featured Alan Alda (Marc), Victor Garber (Serge), and Alfred Molina (Yvan), who was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance. 'Art' won the Tony for All-time Play and went on to a 600-operation run.[ citation needed ]
From December 2016 to February 2017 the production, directed by Matthew Warchus was revived at The Old Vic in London to gloat its 20th anniversary, starring Rufus Sewell, Tim Primal and Paul Ritter[2] and began touring the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland from February 2018 starring Nigel Havers, Denis Lawson and Stephen Tompkinson.[3] [iv]
In August 2021, a Canadian theatre company Crane Creations led a play reading event of 'Art'. A grouping of professional theatre artists discussed the class, themes, style, and electric current world issues related to the play. The play reading outcome aims to raise appreciation of playwrights and playwrighting from around the world.
Overview [edit]
The comedy, which raises questions almost art and friendship, concerns three long-time friends, Serge, Marc, and Yvan. Serge, indulging his penchant for modern fine art, buys a big, expensive, completely white painting. Marc is horrified, and their relationship suffers considerable strain as a upshot of their differing opinions about what constitutes "art". Yvan, caught in the eye of the conflict, tries to please and mollify both of them.
The play is not divided into acts and scenes in the traditional manner, but it does all the same fall into sections (numbered one–17 by Pigeat).[5] Some of these are dialogues betwixt two characters, several are monologues where one of the characters addresses the audition directly, and one is a chat among all three. At the beginning and end of the play, and for almost of the scenes set in Serge's flat, the large white painting is on prominent display.
Plot [edit]
Set up in Paris, the play revolves around three friends—Serge, Marc and Yvan—who detect their previously solid 15-year friendship on shaky ground when Serge buys an expensive painting. The sail is white, with several fine white lines.
Marc, appalled to hear that Serge had paid two hundred k francs, scornfully describes it as "a slice of white shit". Serge argues that the painting, created by a reputable creative person, is worth its hefty price, just Marc remains unconvinced.
Serge and Marc confide in Yvan about their disagreement. Yvan, who is engaged only conflicted over his forthcoming nuptials, remains neutral and attempts to smooth things over. To Serge, Yvan comments politely on the painting but admits that he does not grasp the essence of it. To Marc, Yvan laughs at the painting's cost but suggests that the work is not quite meaningless. Yvan's vacillations only fuel the disagreement as his friends criticize his timid neutrality.
Several nights later the three meet for dinner, and an all-out argument apace develops with each using the painting as an excuse to criticise the others over perceived failures. Marc attacks Yvan for never expressing whatever substantial opinions, and for being an "arse-licker" in the ongoing conflict between his fiancée, his in-laws, and his mother. Marc and Serge argue that Yvan should phone call off the marriage, to which Yvan responds with lame excuses. Serge criticizes Marc'south unwillingness to accept that his friends' opinions differ from his own; and he reveals that he has for some time despised Marc's girlfriend.
Marc finally admits that his truthful resentment is not the painting itself just the uncharacteristic independence of idea that the buy reveals in Serge. He recalls that Serge used to share his own views on arts and culture, and he feels abandoned now that Serge has developed his own, modern gustation. Marc says that friends must always influence each other, simply Serge finds that view to be possessive and controlling. Yvan, at last defending himself, sobbingly explains that he tries to be tolerant and agreeable because he values companionship over dominance: their friendship is his only sanctuary in his burdensome life.
Afterward Yvan'southward outburst, the friends calm down. The argument wordlessly settles as Serge allows Marc to deface the painting using a blue felt-tip pen. Marc draws a person skiing along one of the white lines on the painting. Serge and Marc concur to attempt to rebuild their friendship, and they brainstorm past washing the pen marks off the painting. Marc asks Serge whether he had known that the ink was washable; Serge replies that he had non. But he had indeed known that, and feels troubled about his lie. Marc concludes by describing his own interpretation of the painting: it is of a human being who moves across the canvas and disappears.
Awards and nominations [edit]
- Awards
- April 1995 Molière Award for All-time Commercial Production
- 1997 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy
- May 1998 New York Drama Critics' Circle – Best Play
- 1998 Tony Award for Best Play
- 1998 Drama Desk Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Molina)
- November 1998 Evening Standard Honor for All-time Comedy
- Nominations
- 1997 Oliver Award for Best Histrion, Ken Stott
- 1997 Oliver Honour for Best Director (Warchus)
- 1997 Oliver Laurels Best for Set Designer (Mark Thompson)
- 1997 Oliver Award for Best Lighting Designer (Hugh Vanstone)
- 1998 Tony Award Best Actor in Play (Molina)
- 1998 Tony Honor Best Management of a Play (Warchus)
- 1998 Drama Desk Laurels for Outstanding New Play
References [edit]
- ^ Andersson, Benny; Ulvaeus, Bjorn; and Craymer, Judy (2006), "Mamma Mia! How Tin can I Resist You? - The Inside Story of Mamma Mia and the Songs of ABBA", Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, p. 151.
- ^ Billington, Michael (2016-12-21). "Fine art review – Rufus Sewell shines in finely shaded character study". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-01-16 .
- ^ "How the Erstwhile Vic has reinvented itself post-Kevin Spacey | Features | The Stage". The Phase. 2017-05-04. Retrieved 2017-05-14 .
- ^ "David Pugh on Twitter". Twitter . Retrieved 2017-05-14 .
- ^ Pigeat, Aurélien (2005). Art (in French). Paris: Hatier. ISBNii-218-75089-9.
Farther reading [edit]
- Reza, Yasmina (1994). "Art" (in French). Arles: Actes sud. ISBNii-86943-410-3.
- Reza, Yasmina (1996). 'Art' . Translated by Hampton, Christopher. London: Faber and Faber. ISBN0-571-19014-half dozen.
External links [edit]
- Art at the Internet Broadway Database
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_(play)
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