Review: Coyote Stageworks' Production of ART, at the Annenberg Theater, is Superbly Acted and Directed and Loaded with Dark Humor

I cannot write a review of Coyote Stageworks' fabulous production of French playwright Yasmina Reza's dark comedy, ART, without telling the joke about a man who loves modern art and becomes wealthy enough to buy a plain white painting with a single blue line. In a few weeks, he acquires a plain white painting with a single red circle. The gallery owner calls him a few months later, saying that he has available for sale a plain white painting with a red line and a blue circle. The collector examines it critically and says, "No, this one is too busy."

In ART, a plain white painting that contains a bit of texture, and possibly, a few almost invisible tints, serves as the catalyst for three middle-aged men to examine their friendship. Ms. Reza's script, translated from the original French by Christopher Hampton, is a sophisticated, one-act dramatic comedy with no actual plot. Instead, the play consists entirely of witty repartee and psychological discussion. It is unusual in another way: each of the characters breaks the fourth wall and addresses the audience directly to explain what he is really thinking when he talks to one of the other characters. The West End production of ART won the 1996 Olivier Award for best comedy and the Broadway production won the Tony award in 1998 for best play.

Serge (Larry Raben) is a divorced intellectual who aspires to the French intelligentsia. His best friend, Marc (Chuck Yates), is an iconoclast who objects to modernism. Their eager-to-please mutual friend, Ivan (David Engel), has been unlucky in his career endeavors and is terrified at his impending marriage to a woman that he doesn't seem to love. Trouble ensues when Serge dons white gloves (literally) and brings out an all-white painting for which he has paid 50,000 euros, a large chunk of his savings. Marc is angry that Serge would spend money on what he thinks is merde, and Serge is offended at Marc's reaction. Marc consults Ivan who, as usual, tries to make peace between his two friends. They turn on Ivan for being too wishy-washy, and on each other, and soon the 15-year friendships stand in peril.

Despite the fast-paced repartee, ART is talky - something that, in my view, sets it apart from most contemporary American plays. Director Don Amendolia establishes the right pacing, making sure that the audience understands what is going on, but not slowing the dialogue enough to allow the audience to become bored with Ms. Reza's and Mr. Hampton's wordiness.

The expressions of emotion, whether through the writer's words or through the actors' inflections, body-language, physical altercations, and yelling back and forth, are so natural that I forgot that these gentlemen were acting. They are so convincing that it is almost painful in spots to watch them attempt to destroy each other. The audience seemed to find the action as believable as I did; in one scene, a character threatens to destroy an expensive item in the apartment. As soon as his intent became clear, much of the audience gasped. During an overwrought monologue of Ivan's - which, by the way, earned applause from the audience during the play - Marc and Serge sit with their eyes closed, falling asleep. During the lengthy argument between Marc and Ivan, Serge wears an expression of profound sadness in his eyes; despite his participation in the unfortunate events, it is clear that he is appalled that the three-way friendship has come to its apparent end this way.

All three actors are founding members of Coyote Stageworks, current members of its board, and long-time friends. Mr. Raben and Mr. Engel are members of Actors Equity Association, and Mr. Amendolia is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Mr. Yates has won awards for his work at Coyote, and he, too, has acted and directed professionally, as well as worked as a television screenwriter. These credentials are fortunate because, in my opinion, only the finest acting and directing can cause this difficult play to succeed, as this production does.

ART depends heavily on the stage design and on the lighting. Josh Clabaugh does an amazing job with the almost all-white set (the walls appear to be light gray), decorated with Barcelona chairs and white breakables too artistic to be labelled tchotchkes. The only variation among the three apartments is in the painting having the place of honor on the wall, and in the lighting, designed by Moira Wilke; Ms. Wilke bathes Marc's and Ivan's apartments in different colored lighting and they do not actually appear to be all-white.

I believe that the playwright made one error in specifying the same set for all three apartments. The beautiful set, with its modern furniture, fits perfectly with Serge, but anti-modernist Marc would have lived in a traditional setting, and disorganized, always broke Ivan would have owned thrift store acquisitions and possibly, tacky souvenirs with place names painted on. Rather than specifying that only the picture on the wall change, I wish that Ms. Reza had allowed designers such as Mr. Clabaugh to fit the decorating, or lack thereof, to the individual. However, this is a minor nit in a superb play, presented in a superb production.

The rest of the cast and crew consist of Diane L. David, stage manager (a member of Actors Equity Association); Bonnie Nipar (costume design); David Engel (sound and projection design); Scott Rose (sound); and Chuck Yates (props).

ART runs through April 3rd, at the following days and times: March 25: 7:30 p.m.; March 26: 2 & 8 p.m.; March 27: 2 p.m.; March 30: 2 & 7:30 p.m.; March 31: 2 p.m.; April 1: 7:30 p.m.; April 2: 2 and 8 p.m.; April 3: 2 p.m.

Coyote Stageworks' final show of the 2015-16 season will be AGNES OF GOD, which will run from April 20 through May 1, 2016.

Tickets for Coyote's performances range from $45-$70. They are available at the box office at the Annenberg Theater, which is in the Palms Springs Museum of Art, 101 Museum Drive, Palm Springs, CA; online at www.AnnenbergTheater.org or at www.coyotestageworks.org ; or by telephone at 760-325-4490. All performances take place at the Annenberg Theater.

Photo Credit David A. Lee

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