If you’re going to call something sh*t, you have to have some standards to judge it by! A direct-ish quote from Yasmina Reza’s Art but one that I can relate to all too well; if you’re going to call something— anything (more often in my vein of critiquing, ‘brilliant, masterpiece, etc.’)— you have to have some standards to judge it by. Appearing for the second time in a decade of stage performance, Yasmina Reza’s Art (previously produced in September 2014) is now appearing live at Vagabond Players, the second offering of the 2025 calendar year (following a smashing, successful run of Room Service) and the third production in their overall 109th season. Directed by Charlie Junkins, this Christopher Hampton translation of Yasmina Reza’s poignant, relevant comedy about male friendship is a delightfully-paced, expression of absurdist notions when it comes to both the nature of art and the nature of our relationships with those that we label ‘friend.’
A simple setting— a sparsely furnished yet aesthetically elegant apartment interior that triples up as three different apartments by way of a simple portrait change. No portrait on the main wall and you’re in Serge’s apartment. A rather banal and muted pastel looking affair that’s too reminiscent of Sunday in the Park with George and you’re in Marc’s flat. The crooked-hanging rich jewel-tone watercolor turtle? That’s Ivan’s dwelling. (Shout-out to Stage Manager Nichemat ‘NJ’ Saroff for the expedience with which these portraits are flipped between scenes because the pacing of the show is impeccable.)
What one wouldn’t think would be so critical in a 90-minute, no-intermission, three-person show is the lighting. But this particular play— because of the asides/soliloquys— requires finesse and nuance with its illuminating tactics. Lighting Designer Jaeden Arrington does a superb job of balancing those moments in focal-lowlight for the asides, snapping back to the warmed interior of the various apartments so that the audience can delineate what’s happening in live-time verses what’s happening in the minds of the three characters.
Director Charlie Junkins delivers a praiseworthy production; the pacing is tight, the brief inter-scene musical selections curating a Parisian atmosphere. Junkins keeps the trio of gents on their toes in this witty, borderline aggressive comedy. (It’s not so bombastic as Reza’s God of Carnage but there are some high-intensity moments that Junkins really develops across the three performers so that they land hard with great potency.) Junkins fosters a tense camaraderie between these three, which speaks to the ethos of Reza’s storyline.
Llody Ekpe (Yvan), Doug Krehbel (Marc), and Lucius Robinson (Serge) are the three actors who draw the audience into their friendship-antics. Each in their own right a peculiar sort of personality, Ekpe, Krehbel, and Robinson service Reza’s script with vigorous aplomb and delve into the meaningful argumentative nature of this tension-built comedy with earnest gusto and enthusiasm. Ekpe’s character is the most physically expressive— particularly when he comes barging in, late for their gathering, and exhausting himself with this animated retelling of the over-dramatic events that caused him to be late. Ekpe delivers that scene with a breath-stealing effervesce and earns himself an applauding ovation when he completes his monologue.
While the characters are weighted equally for the most part, it could be argued that Marc and Serge are the more forward pair and that their tenuous dynamic is the driving force in the anecdote. Krehbel’s Marc is both stoic and aloof but in a different fashion from those same qualities witnessed in Robinson’s Serge. There’s a subtle arrogance to Robinson’s performance, as if he exists above reason and rational but not in a haughty manner. Krehbel has a confident ease about his character, particularly when addressing the audience with his inner-thoughts-burst-outward. The pair bicker divinely and watching them both attempt to restrain themselves when in the other’s company is just part of the cheeky delight of this production.
It is remarkably well-performed, well-paced, and overall a solid production. Not-quite-90 minutes of entertainment that also has intrinsic life value to it, Art is an excellent escape for an afternoon or evening of live theatre. It lives up and surpasses the standards of ‘brilliant theatre’ with flying colors.
Running Time: Approximately 80 minutes with no intermission
Art plays through March 16th 2025 at Vagabond Players— located in the heart of Fells Point: 806 S. Broadway in Baltimore, MD. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at (410) 563-9135 in advance online.
