Art at The Off-Central runs through Nov. 23.
Photo by Donnette Romero
The play Art makes for a fascinating case study. Written by a French actress, it premiered nearly 30 years ago in Paris as «Art» (the marks are intentional, but the intention is up for interpretation). Playwright Yasmina Reza wrote it relatively quickly — in a matter of weeks — for a performance of three men, on purpose. She wanted to explore the dynamics of male friendships. For years she forbade productions that wanted to change the gender. The play has been translated into 35 languages, with the English translation by Christopher Hampton. It has won scores of prestigious awards, including the Moliere Award in 1995, the Olivier in 1997, and the Tony in 1998. Some figures estimate it has grossed $200 million in its lifetime.Â
There’s not much of a plot: Serge has bought a painting for an exorbitant price ($200,000) which has enraged his friend Marc because it’s… white – white paint on a white canvas. A third friend, Yvan, the people-pleaser of the trio, gets dragged into the melee, pushed to choose a side. The play is ostensibly a comedy of manners, with twinges of farce, and the forced, truncated circumstances of a sitcom. Notably, the highest profile commercial productions throughout the years employ not only famous names but television stars. Look who is on Broadway in the revival right now.    Â
Different Productions Through the Years
I saw it in 1998 on the West End with an American cast that included George Wendt as Yvan, David Dukes as Serge, and Stacy Keach as Marc. At the time, it was a sensation. I remember finding it humorous. I remember George Wendt getting rousing show-stopping applause for his mid-show monologue. And I have always held a fondness for seeing those actors live. But not much else made a lasting impression.Â
27 years later, I revisited the show at The Off-Central, where an all-female production directed by Alan Mohney, Jr. plays through Nov. 23. In this iteration, Serge is Seline, played by Ami Sallee — a successful dermatologist who comfortably has $200K for a contemporary artwork. Marc is now Margot, played by Vera Samuels, furious from her first side-eye to the audience about Seline’s purchase. And Yvan is Yvonne, played by Debbie Yones — a high-strung mediator, and the most likable of the trio.
Has Art Stood the Test of Time?
Despite the more-than-capable hands of the solid director and cast, this production of Art just didn’t work for me. Not with all women, and not in 2025. $200,000 for a work of art from a famous living artist isn’t shocking at all; we aren’t even five years removed from an NFT selling for $91.8 million. The antics of wealthy people is unrelatable, and in our modern era, listening to acerbic people bicker doesn’t offer escape; it’s what I want to escape from.Â
As for why the gender reversal didn’t work for me: I think the women deserve better. The trio of characters are a commentary on the superficiality, fragility, and the limits of honesty male relationships can withstand — as written by a French woman, 30 years ago. I’d prefer to see a cast this talented given a nuanced three-hander written to intentionally explore the complex, intimate, and vital bonds between female friends.
At the end of the day, any time spent in the theater has value. And at the center of Art is a disagreement on a person’s taste. Please go see the show and disagree with me.
See Art at The Off-Central
Art The Off-Central Through Nov. 23: Nov. 19-21, 7:30 p.m.; Nov. 22, 5 p.m.; and Nov. 23, 3 p.m. $36; $16, students and industry. Nov. 19, pay what you can. theoffcentral.com; 727-202-7019.
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