Theatre - Art

The contemporary art world is forever getting itself into trouble for upsetting ideas about what art ought to look like. The recent play, ‘Art’, by award-winning Parisian playwright Yasmina Reza satirises these sorts of debates. It tells the story of three friends and their various responses to the decision of one, Serge, to spend 200,000 francs on a completely white canvas. Outspoken Marc is appalled and dismisses it as a 'piece of white shit'. Yvan claims to be able to ‘feel the resonances’ but won’t commit himself to a position. Tonight Lewes Little Theatre brings ‘Art' to the town in one of the first non-professional productions of the show.
I speak to Director Nicholas Betteridge about why he has chosen to stage it. “Because it is a thunderously good play”, he says. “And it has three great parts”. Although he had never seen it staged, Betteridge was advised by family-friend Jamie Theakston who had starred in a production with Nigel Havers. The result was a decision to create a pared down, minimalist backdrop. “The stage is entirely unadorned except for the white painting”, he tells me. “So it echoes the art piece.” Whilst the play raises debates about the value of contemporary art, it is as much to do with friendship, I am told. “Like in any friendship, you don’t always get along together the whole time”, he says. “Sometimes things cause conflict but ultimately it’s about whether the relationship is big enough to take it." "Above all though," he concludes, "it’s also an extremely amusing show.” ER