Art - Garrick Theatre - 24/04/08 by Julia Taylor

French playwright, Yasmina Reza’s award-winning play “Art” has become popular ever since, after skilful translation by Christopher Hampton, it was first presented in English in 1996.

The play centres on three chums – Serge, a dermatologist with an air of superiority, Marc, an aeronautical engineer and Yvan, who is just a stationery salesman. Although they are completely different, their friendship appears to be indestructible

That is until Serge pays a fortune for an example of modern art which reminds you of the Emperor’s new clothes. For it is just a large, white rectangle. Even worse than buying such an unappealing painting, Serge does it without consulting the other two.

He has committed the sin of acting as an individual instead of with his three-pronged team. This is where the fun starts. And fun it is. The dialogue is hilarious as Marc hurls abuse at Serge, and Yvan tries to keep the peace even when he is facing his own problems in arranging his wedding.

One of the highlights of the play is when Yvan takes centre stage to describe a conversation he had with his mother about wedding invitations. Mark Edgar as Yvan carries off the piece superbly, and, in return, receives a spontaneous round of applause.

The silences are equally compelling and the timing just right. The sound of olive stones dropping into a bowl conveys as much meaning as a tirade of words.

Phil Duncan, John Keen and Mark Edgar as Marc, Serge and Yvan work well as a team whilst each capturing his character’s individuality. I liked Serge’s expression when, after pretending he liked the “monochromatic” art work, Yvan reveals he has hated it all along. Marc is portrayed as an angry young man, slightly jealous of Serge, who could see the painting for what it was – a blank page.

But Mark Edgar as Yvan, who acts as a referee with the other two when they start to fight, gives an outstanding and emotional performance. He seems to be the only one with genuine feelings as he describes his squabbling friends as “two normal men gone insane”. I like the way he sums up his own life as “marriage, children, death, stationery.”

At times, the three characters stand stiffly looking slightly uncomfortable. I felt they needed to relax more though it isn’t easy to relax when a fight is brewing.

So what is the writer trying to say? I reckon she is saying that friendship is just as much an art as painting. It has to be worked on regularly and nurtured with soft strokes of the relationship brush. It has to be cherished just as much as a work of art.

The play benefits from the fine direction of Nick Johnson.