There’s a scene in a popular children’s book, where the young porcine protagonist visits an art museum. There she observes a paint-splattered canvas by American abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock, and claims “I could do that in about five minutes.”
And when she gets home, she tries.
In its succinct, childlike way, the scene tells how many people feel about art, in that it is subjective to the eye of the beholder.
What is art to some, and fodder to others, is the main premise of a play that takes the stage in Vernon’s Elks Hall next weekend.
Written in 1994 by French playwright Yasmina Reza, the aptly titled Art asks the question: what makes a painting worthy of the term art?
“Art is the star of the show. However, the play is also about love, loyalty and friendship, and the silly things we say to our friends that you can’t say to a stranger,” said Jason Mynett, who studied theatre in his native England, and worked at Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre before moving to Kelowna then Vernon.
Art is a modern story, told in one act, through dialogue and monologue, which should appeal to the young adult-set on up, adds the producer, director and set builder, who acts as one of the three main characters in the local production, along with Shawn Reed and Clive Goodrich.
Art, which Mynett says will have audiences laughing and pondering their own friendships and choices, centers around the relationship between three males in their 40s.
“The play is one big conversation and the audience gets to be a part of it,” said Goodrich, who has previously acted both in Powerhouse and Backstage Theatre productions. “Sometimes it’s a loud conversation.”
Set in each of the character’s Paris apartments, the action begins when one of them, Serge, a dermatologist (Reed) purchases a painting for a ridiculous sum to the disgust of his friend Marc (Mynett). Enter Yvan (Goodrich), who sits on the fence through the whole argument, drawing the ire of both Marc and Serge who pronounce him incapable of forming opinions of his own.
The men not only square off over the canvas that has been thrust between them, but other issues that plague their friendship.
“It’s a relationship where they are angry with each other. They are best friends, but as they grow and age, their relationship changes. It’s about loyalty and betrayal and how it comes about in this piece of art,” said Goodrich.
For Mynett, the fascinating part of the play is how the true story, for lack of a better word, imitates Art.
“The whole story came about at a party where (Reza) was wearing some costume jewelry. She asked her friend Serge what he thought about the jewelry, and he said he thought it was dreadful. Basically, he hated it. She told him that she no longer wanted to be his friend.”
Reza originally wrote Art to get over the death of her father, added Mynett.
“She wrote the play in six weeks and once it was written and published, she was quoted as saying that ‘it was not worthy of me or him,’” he said.
Her tune soon changed.
After the play was translated in English by writer Christopher Hampton, Art appeared on stage in London’s West End in 1996. Co-produced by legendary Scottish actor Sean Connery and David Pugh, and starring Albert Finney, Art received rave reviews and was billed as “…chic, short and wickedly funny,” by The London Evening Standard.
It would go on to win the 1997 Laurence Olivier Award for best comedy, and the 1998 Tony Award for best play. It has since been translated into 35 different languages.
Mynett, Reed and Goodrich have been busy promoting the show for its Vernon debut, more recently by posing for some photos to show in a slide show as a preview to the curtain rising. (Let’s just say it features the three French characters on holiday in B.C., visiting some local establishments.)
“Vernon has a big theatre base, which is nice to see in a smaller community,” said Mynett for his reasons to stage the show here. “There is a great arts community here and the Elks Hall is a great space. They’ve been very helpful and kind to us.”
Stage managed by Naomi Sturtridge, Art opens at the Elks Hall, downtown, Friday, April 15 and continues April 16 and 17. All shows start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 available at Bean Scene or by contacting Mynett at jumpentertainment@yahoo.ca. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. (Warning, the play contains some coarse language.)
