The Milwaukee Chamber Theatre plays with the simple complexes of human connection in its opening show of the season--Yasmina Reza's Art. Friendship is tested between three men in a brilliantly-executed play that manifests itself on a beautifully minimalist set by Keith Pitts (a work of art in itself.) The set is white with black boundaries and few other details. Each character is assigned a color.
C. Michael Wright plays Serge in blue. Serge has just bought a painting. It's almost entirely white. You would be forgiven for thinking it was a blank canvas on first glance. There's a little more to it than that, though. It's very, very expensive. Wright has a remarkable wit about him in the role that feels almost dazzlingly cunning. Reza breathes a cleve comedy into Serge's dialogue that Wright delivers to the stage with a sharp sense of timing.
Brian Mani plays Marc in red. His tastes run far more classical than Serge's. As a result, he's very, very upset with his purchase of the painting. Mani channels a charming pomposity to the role that is matched remarkably well to his powerful stage presence. Mani brings a fiery anger to the stage that ranges from dramatic shouting to something far more subtle and subdued. The dynamic between Mani and Wright creates a captivating gravity.
Tom Klubertanz plays Yvan in yellow. Yvan is the meekest of the three. He's getting married. He's just acquired a job as a stationery salesman--the next in what is evidently a long line of jobs. Klubertanz brings a submissive nice guy energy to the stage. He is aided in this by a jaw-droppingly comic exasperated monologue the runs for quite sometime. Yvan really needs Serge and Marc to get along. He might just make it happen.
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Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's production of Art runs through August 25th. For ticket reservations, call 414-291-7800.
Also: this coming Friday (that's tomorrow) and next Friday the 23rd, there's a special promotion with Splash Studio--the painting bar one block down from the Broadway Theatre Center. Starting at 5:00 pm you can have a glass of wine, do a painting and then shoot over to the Broadway Theatre Center for a gourmet sandwich before the show. Total package tickets included is $60 per person. Kind of a cool package event for a very well-executed production. For more information, visit MCT online.
