Art UK Tour at Malvern Theatres Review
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Tue 24 Sep 2024 - Sat 26 Oct 2024
Olivier Award-winning play Art first scintillated audiences back in 1994, but has the comedy stood the test of time? I found out as a new UK tour came to Malvern.
This latest version by Original Theatre Company features a small cast of well-known faces. There's comedian Seann Walsh alongside Chris Harper of
Coronation Street fame and Aden Gillett playing the three friends in Yasmina Reza’s multi-award winning play.
The premise of the plot is how their friendship is rocked after one buys a painting for £200K that is a completely white canvas. Honesty among friends and unsettled scores come brimming to the surface during this short and sharp-witted play.
Art runs at
Malvern Theatres from September 24 until Saturday, September 28 as part of a
UK tour . It will also stop off at Nottingham Theatre Royal from October 7 to 12, Coventry's Belgrade Theatre, from October 15 to 19 and Sheffield Lyceum Theatre from October 22 to 26.
Brummie Iqbal Khan directs following his acclaimed work for the National Theatre with
East is East and the Royal Shakespeare Company(RSC) with
Othello. He brings a flourish of style to the proceedings and the set in itself is a little like an abstract painting, angular and colourful.
Moving between the three men's homes and a series of gatherings, we see a clash of opinions over the piece of art. This isn't about art at all though but ultimately about friendship and who or what matters more.
There's great chemistry between the three actors. Harper, also a regular in
Call the Midwife, is the sharp-suited art lover Serge at odds with more traditional Aden Gillett's Marc. Gillett will be familiar from
The Crown and as a romantic lead in the sitcom
The House of Elliot.
Caught between the two sparring pals is non-committal Yvan, played beautifully by Seann Walsh. The comic is far more deadpan than he's usually seen in stand-up and it suits him.
Poor Yvan, who is facing his own dramas involving an impending marriage, finds that even by sitting on the fence he can't escape being brought into the argument.
This insightful, clever play builds and builds to a crescendo with acerbic lines and dry wit. There's even a breathtaking moment near the end where it all reaches a glorious climax. The writing speaks for itself and with accolades including Best Comedy at the Olivier Awards, Tony Awards and Moliere Awards, I should have realised it would be a timeless piece.
It's a gentle-paced, intelligent comedy and while it won't have you rolling around in stitches, Art will make you chuckle and feel as satisfied as looking at a good painting,
RATING: 4 out of 5 stars
All the
Art UK tour dates can be found here . The play is 1 hour 20 minutes with no interval. Tickets for
Art at Malvern Theatres here start from £22.40.
Art was supported financially by the charity Stage One, which helps bring new UK theatre productions to fruition.
The creative team behind this UK tour of Art is:
Director Iqbal Khan
Set and Lighting Designer Ciaran Bagnall
Composer and Sound Designer Max Pappenheim
Associate Director Olivia Millar-Ross
Production Manager Brian Watson
Costume Supervisor Nancy Surman
Props Supervisor Katie Balmforth
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#comedy 294502 - 2024-09-24 16:25:29