The Pennyless Players: Open Rehearsal "ART"

The Pennyless Players will present "Art" by Yasmina Reza (translated by Christopher Hampton at ARGEkultur Salzburg on June 5th. Theatre lovers in Graz can get an exclusive behind the scenes look by attending an "open rehearsal" on Wednesday, May 31st, at the English Department!

Free of charge, no registration!

Synopsis:

What could possibly come between a decades-long friendship? In "Art", the relationship between three friends: Serge, a dermatologist, Marc, an aeronautical engineer, and Yvan, a salesman, comes heavily under fire and threatens to crumble completely after a seemingly harmless act: Serge buys a painting. This painting, a white background with three white stripes, has cost him an incredible sum of money – 200,000 francs. The purchase instigates discussions about the meaning and value of art which, by turns, reveals the value of interpersonal relationships, what binds them together, and what our friends can tell us about who we are.

The Play:

"Art" by Yasmina Reza, premiered in Paris, at the Comédie des Champs-Élysées, in 1994; the English translation by Christopher Hampton opened two years later in London’s West End, followed quickly by a successful run on Broadway. The play has enjoyed continued international popularity ever since – its subject matter, which is simultaneously highbrow (the value of modern art) and generally relatable (the value of friendship), as well as its blend of a casually conversational and poetic language style, have made it a modern theatre classic.