Thirty years since opening to critical acclaim, Yasmina Reza's brilliantly observed comedy masterpiece has been revisited for a UK tour, and with divisive opinions and class division at its heart, ART feels just as relevant now as it would have done in the 90s.
This latest revival sees established actors Chris Harper and Aden Gillett step into the roles of aspirational art collector Serge and his seemingly irrationally irked best friend Marc. The cast is completed by stand-up comedian Seann Walsh in only his second-ever stage role as put-upon punchbag Yvan.
The premise is that Serge has purchased an incredibly expensive piece of artwork by a renowned artist. However, the painting is ostensibly blank; some white lines painted on a white canvas. Marc simply cannot fathom that this "white piece of shit" moves Serge in some way, and they bicker about the painting a lot. Caught in the middle is the pre-occupied Yvan who doesn't offer his opinion on the matter, simply saying "if it makes him happy..." which only serves to infuriate Marc who desperately wants his opinion validated.
As the bickering kicks up a notch and threatens to undermine the friends' longstanding relationships, we discover that there's a little more to the tensions between them than simply controversy over the authenticity of a painting.
Stylish and thoughtfully designed, the production is presented over a single 85 minute act, and is thoroughly entertaining throughout. Chris Harper and Aden Gillett both produced masterful, magnetic performances, and in different ways initially as their characters' temperaments contrasted, before they both descended into equally childish and undignified behaviour.
Seann Walsh was a revelation as Yvan. Anyone who watched Seann in I'm a Celebrity... will know he can act (how else can you explain him appearing to get along with Matt Hanc*ck?), and of course his background in stand-up comedy means he's no doubt very comfortable on stage. However, his command of some complex passages of dialogue was exceptional, and his impassioned delivery of one particular behemoth of a monologue was absolutely faultless.
Having read a few reviews prior to watching this production, I can see how easy it is to get swept away in what the play signifies and the lessons we can learn from it etc. but actually, most of all, it is just a very funny piece and superbly played by three talented performers. ART continues at Norwich Theatre Royal until 14 September.
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