Three friends, one artwork, three very different perspectives.
ART The Play, written by French Playwright Yasmina Reza and directed by Lee Lewis, is the story of three friends – Marc (Richard Roxburgh), Serge (Damon Herriman) and Yvan (Toby Schmitz) – whose 20+ year friendship is thrown into turmoil when Serge decides to spend 160,000 euro on an artwork. But not just any artwork, as we will discover, it is an Antrios – from his 1980s period (arguably his most prolific) – and the Pompidou has three of his work. Most importantly however, is that it is a white painting, with white stripes.
Marc, unable to comprehend how his friend could spend such a ludicrous amount of money on essentially a white canvas, he proceeds to call into question everything he has ever known about the person Serge is, and their friendship. He enlists the help of their mutual friend Yvan to attempt to convince Serge of his stupidity. What we discover as the play progresses is that the artwork is merely a catalyst for deep-seated cracks in Marc and Serge’s friendship. Truths are exposed and something that at one stage felt trivial suddenly becomes potentially friendship ending.
Richard Roxburgh, Damon Herriman and Toby Schmitz are absolute perfection. Their genuine chemistry and stage presence ensures that no one character pulls focus. With effortless comedic timing, watching these three seasoned professionals together on stage is a rare privilege.
Set and costume designer Charles Davis has done a brilliant job, with the different sets reflective of each characters personalities – Marc’s living room is dark wood and classic landscapes, Yvan has a work painted by his father (mistakenly thought to be a Daub) and Serge’s space is minimalist, reflective of his recent artistic purchase. Similarly, the costumes are a visual presentation of the characters, with Marc in dark denim and leather jacket, Serge in beige and cream neutrals and Yvan dressed down in a t-shirt, hoodie and trainers. All of these visual queues and details are so purposeful and effective. It is not just the words the characters speak which is indicative of their vastly different personalities, it is just one element of a much broader picture that has been created.
It is the small details in ART which really make it exceptional. The way Yvan sits, carelessly slouched back with his feet askew, the various mannerisms and physical comedy throughout and the numerous facial expressions that can transform a scene of three men side by side eating olives into comedic gold. Nothing is left to chance, with everything feeling intentional.
Whilst being an hilarious reflection on friendship dynamics when disagreement arises, ART also feels like a comment on the snobbery of the art world and those who inhabit it. Discussions around whether the white painting is actually white, and comments such as “It’s a completion of a journey” from Yvan hit a little too close to home for someone who has spent the last 23 years surrounded by art and artists. In my time managing a gallery in the UK, I encountered works not dissimilar to the one bought by Serge, and people’s ability to perceive something out of nothing is one of the greatest mysteries of the art world.
This play also makes an interesting comment about the divisive nature of differing opinions, something that is especially prevalent in online spaces today. Marc absolutely could not understand how his friends could see anything of value in the artwork, and seemingly was unable to accept another viewpoint. This inability to lean into nuance, to see the world as simply black and white, is perhaps more relevant today than it was in 1994 when this play first debuted.
ART The Play is witty, clever and sharp. Insightful reflections woven with side-splitting humour and performed by a trio who command the stage, makes this performance a must see.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
ART The Play will perform at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in Sydney until 8 March before heading to:
Brisbane, Playhouse, QPAC – 11 – 22 March
Melbourne, Comedy Theatre – 22 April – 3 May
Adelaide, Her Majesty’s Theatre – 20 – 24 May
For more information and to purchase tickets head to the productions website.
Reviewer attended on Thursday 19 February 2026.
Photo credit: Brett Boardman
