The actor factor is a two-way street, say Conti and Co
By BRYCE HALLETT
09/03/1999
Sydney Morning Herald

All three blokes cast in ART exude a casual air and look as though they may already be the best of friends. 
John Waters, David Wenham and Tom Conti sat amiably side by side yesterday to talk about the comedy that has 
drawn them together and pushed some sections of the industry apart. 

It was day one of rehearsals at Sydney Theatre Company headquarters, and despite the lingering dispute about 
the casting of the "import" Conti, there was no trace of a dividing line between the high-profile local actors 
and the bankable Scottish-born star. All are open to the notion of the international exchange of actors; the 
gypsy quality that defines a performer's life and lot. 

"Actors live their lives on the edge of disaster," Conti said. "It's understandable that people are nervous, 
but actors should be allowed to work anywhere in the world . . . I have absolute sympathy for them [the local 
actors who have protested against his casting] and am sorry I caused trouble." 

Conti was responding to last week's petitioning of the STC board by 19 actors in the casts of its productions 
Corporate Vibes, Fred, Lyrebird and Betrayal. They had voiced disappointment about the decision to cast Conti 
because they and their union, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, contend that the co-producers failed 
to undertake a thorough casting process to employ an Australian star, thereby breaching the 1993 Live Theatre 
Agreement. 

Conti said he had sought an exchange system of actors through British Equity a number of years ago, not a system 
of absolute free trade but one in which actors could move relatively freely to pursue their craft. The London-born 
Waters and rising star Wenham were also of the view that a "two-way street" was desirable, indeed vital, for Australia's 
film and theatre industries. 

Written by Yasmina Reza and translated by Christopher Hampton, ART won last year's Tony Award for Best Play and 
the 1996 Olivier Award for Best Comedy. It is enjoying long runs in London and New York, and the local producers 
are pinning their hopes on a sell-out Australian tour. Conti, Wenham and Waters will perform the roles of Marc, 
Yvan and Serge in the 12-week Sydney season; new casts will be engaged in subsequent interstate seasons. 

Conti, who won the Tony Award for best actor for his portrayal of Ken Harrison in Whose Life Is It Anyway? , was 
drawn to ART because of "its words". He described the piece as "funny, touching, sad and dark". The three-hander, 
which runs for only 90 minutes, has struck a chord with audiences, not just for its debate about aesthetics, but for 
its examination of the deeper tests of loyalty and communication between men. 

The rehearsal room, devoid of the gleaming white surfaces and elegant proportions of Mark Thompson's design, offers 
few clues about the making and mystery of ART. Asked if the comedy would work with female actors, Conti looked faintly 
bemused. "Women have friendships that men don't have; they confide in each other. Women with comparable professions 
to the men in this play would, I feel, be more sensible," he said. An indictment of men? "Well, yes, it's about the 
male ego and its corrosive nature." 

ART opens at the Theatre Royal on April 3