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Art, the upcoming DramaSoc production, appears at first glance to be pretty clear-cut. It was written in French by playwright Yasmina Reza, it has been translated into English and it is, unsurprisingly, about a work of art.
Yet the co-directors, Sian Hughes and Makoto Kawaguchi, and the cast as a whole are keen to point out that the play goes far beyond this two-dimensional explanation. “It’s a divisive play,” says Ryan Hall, who will be portraying the character Marc in the production, and it’s not long before one realises just how apt a description this is.
The play centres on a short period in the life of three childhood friends: Marc (Ryan Hall), Serge (Freddy Elletson) and Yvan (Chris White). The major conflict of the play is represented by a single purchase of a painting by Serge, a painting that, needless to say, appears to be simply a blank canvas. Whilst Serge is proud of said purchase and boasts of it to his friends, Marc strongly disapproves of the decision, and Yvan’s role is primarily as peacemaker between these two. The ensuing arguments illuminate the underlying tensions in both the characters’ personal lives and in their relationships with one another.
Art is primarily a character-driven piece and, with only three acting parts, the actors were put under a substantial amount of pressure. When discussing the somewhat neutral character of Yvan, White remarks that, “There’s a real sadness to him,” which plays in well with the black humour of the piece. White admits, “Unfortunately my character is a lot like me,” and in this respect, White is at odds with his co-stars. Elletson and Hall appear to have less in common with the characters they portray. Elletson only goes so far as to say, “There are parts of Serge that are definitely in me,” but stresses that, “There are elements to him I despise, but love to play, because I want the audience to despise them too”.
Needless to say, all three actors agree that their characters are essentially selfish and egotistical. The three men are only interested in what they personally have to say, and how the purchase of the painting affects them. Hall summarizes: “They are islands”.
For Hughes and Kawaguchi, the skill of their actors was unquestionable; it was staging the play that proved particularly difficult. Through collaboration, they decided upon a minimalist approach, with a triangular stage. As the alternating scenes take place in each of the characters’ flats, both Hughes and Kawaguchi decided to indicate a change in location simply by a single painting. The similarity of the three flats represents what Hughes describes as “The homogeneity of modern life”. “Art doesn’t say what you should think, it just asks questions,” Hughes points out.
It is evident that Hughes, Kawaguchi, and the cast as a whole are not only passionate about the play itself but about what it means. Elletson hits a nerve when he explains, “The painting gives Serge validation and an identity – he pushes this on his friends”. The play brings to the forefront the ever-controversial debate about modern art, and simultaneously tackles the more accessible topic of friendship. Hughes emphasizes that Art is a dark comedy that holds a mirror up, both to issues of friendship and of the modern art debate. The play should resonate in particular with University students, who are all too familiar with the anxieties of making and maintaining friendships. Kawaguchi concludes, “It’s about friendship. It’s about how easy it is for friendships to disintegrate over the pettiest thing”.
Art will be premiering in the Drama Barn at 7.30pm on Friday 27th May, Week 5, with subsequent performances on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets will be available at Vanbrugh Stalls from 12-2pm Wednesday - Friday, or can alternatively be purchased on the door.
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