THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
MON 12 APR 1999
Actors show this is a real work of ART 
By JULIETTA JAMESON 

YASMINA Reza's play ART is indeed art and on its open ing night in Sydney it was treated most artfully by three terrific actors.

A beautifully tight stage play in which not a word is wasted, nor a gesture lacking in poignancy, ART works on many levels: straight-up as a wonderful comedy, then on a more cerebral plane as a discourse on the natures of art, deconstructionism and modernism and then on a heartfelt level as an exploration of male friendship.

Originally written in French, it must be said that Christopher Hampton has done a wonderful job of translation.

But it is the actors who bring it to life and under astute direction from English director Rachel Kavanaugh, all three in the cast display glorious timing, restraint, understanding and emotional complexity as they take their characters on the enthralling arcs of their separate but connected journeys.

ART tells the story of three friends, one of whom buys an allwhite painting for a large sum of money, a move which irritates beyond belief his best friend.

As they come to loggerheads over the canvas, it is up to their younger, less clever third friend to play umpire between the two, in the process finding himself drawn into the conflict.

Tom Conti, the Scottish star whose casting for a brief moment attracted sour grapes from some thespian quarters, is consummate in his skill.

It is a joy to see the accomplished and esteemed Conti be endearingly bloody-minded as Marc, whose friend Serge buys the painting.

David Wenham, who of late has attracted attention as a sex symbol for his portrayal of Diver Dan in TV's Seachange, is gorgeously bumbling and neurotic as Yvan, the "fool" in the classic sense who must mediate between his two friends.

But it is, in my opinion, Geoff Morrell who does the stand-out job of the piece.

Called in with only a couple of weeks until curtain-rise when John Waters had to pull out because of illness, Morrell not only is completely at ease with the complex script (he reportedly has a photographic memory) but he is a revelation of stellar proportions in his wonderfully varied portrayal as Serge, who instigates the action by buying that confounded painting.

Producer John Frost says he hopes this production of ART will revive the big-event nonmusical play in Australia. Based on Saturday's night premiere, it seems his wish may be about to come true.

ART by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton.
Directed by Rachel Kavanaugh.
Starring Tom Conti, Geoff Morrell and David Wenham. Australian premiere Theatre Royal, Sydney, April 10.