Award-winning drama questions 'Art' and pushes limits of friendship

"Art," which has won both the Molière and Tony awards, is being staged at the Jasmine Theater in Huangpu District.

It explores universal themes of art appraisal standards and the boundaries of friendship.

Yasmina Reza, a French playwright, wrote the comedy, which opened in 1994 at Paris's Comédie des Champs-Élysées and won the Molière Award for Best Commercial Production in 1995.

The English adaptation premiered in London's West End in 1996 and then on Broadway in 1998, earning the Tony Award for Best Play that year.

The latest version is directed by British director Paul Garrington, who was the International Associate Director of the smash musical "Mamma Mia!"

"The play is like a scalpel, accurately analyzing the friendship between men," said Garrington. "What's interesting is that this complex theme was handled by a female playwright. Yasmina Reza's language is like gorgeous fireworks, hitting the pain points and making people laugh."

The plot revolves around three long-time friends: Serge, Marc, and Yvan. Serge, who likes modern art, bought a "white canvas" painting for two million dollars. Marc questions Serge's decision, and their relationship suffers greatly as a result of their divergent views on what constitutes "art."

Yvan, caught in the middle of the debate as well as his problems, attempts to please and appease his friends.

"We want to make a lively, novel, and up-to-date play," said Garrington. "We hope that the audience will reflect on their own way of treating friends and think about whether 'speaking frankly' is appropriate on all occasions during the laughter-filled viewing experience."

Performance info:

Dates: Through March 7, 7:30pm

Tickets: 80-580 yuan

Venue: Jasmine Theater 茉莉花剧场

Address: 247 Beihai Rd 北海路247号