Painting a picture of friendship

4:29pm Thursday 17th April 2008

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Preview - Art, The Lauriston Studio

FRIENDSHIPS are tested and become strained in Art, the latest production to be staged at the Garrick's Lauriston Studio.

Marc, Serge and Yvan are so close it is, in effect, a three way marriage and the cosy arrangement is threatened when one of them buys a painting wiithout consulting his other two pals. In short he has the "audacity" to act as an individual.

"The play revolves around them talking about this picture but, in fact, they're really talking about themselves. Basically, it's a play about relationships between these men who have been friends for a long time. One of them does something unilaterally and they all feel betrayed," says the play's director, Nick Johnson.

They're a likeable trio - the sort of people who enjoy good food, good wine and good conversation. We are, in effect, talking about the upper end of the food chain here. Art comes from the pen of French playwright Yasmina Reza and Nick insists it's a piece that travels well, because the subject matter is one that cuts across the cultural divide.

I've seen a professional production of this play and I was surprised to discover it was written by a woman - unless, of course, its creator had very cruel parents. But writers can see the world through the eyes of the opposite gender. A classic case in point is Willy Russell's comedy Shirley Valentine, in which a bored middle aged housewife swaps a stagnant marriage and humdrum home life for a new life in the sun. For Nick though, Reza's sex is irrelevant.

"I think the theme is essentially female' - I'm not being sexist here. When it comes to relationships I tend to think women writers handle them more delicately," he says. Rick Bowen * The Lauriston Studio presents Art by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, from April 23-26 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from 0161 928 1677.