The Art of Appreciating Art: Phuthita Dokput - 58 407161 22

The document provides a review of a French play called "ART" that was performed at the Sodsai Pantoomkomol Center for Dramatic Arts in Thailand. The play is about the conflict that arises between three friends, Serge, Marc, and Yvan, after Serge purchases an expensive minimalist painting. While Serge appreciates the painting, Marc vehemently dislikes it and questions Serge's taste. As their argument escalates, it threatens their long-standing friendship. The review praises the actors' performances in bringing the complex characters and relationships to life, as well as the thought-provoking themes about empathy, reconciliation, and self-awareness explored in the play.

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The Art of Appreciating Art: Phuthita Dokput - 58 407161 22

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The Art of Appreciating Art

Phuthita Dokput | 58 407161 22

A French play “ART” is recently brought from Champs-Elysee

to Sodsai Pantoomkomol Center for Dramatic Arts, Chulalong
korn University, by Sasithorn Panitchanok, the director. The
script was originally composed by the ingenious French
playwright Yasmina Reza and was translated into the local
language by the playful and talented, Pawit Mahasarinand. Since
its premiere in 1994, the piece won a number of world-class
awards with no surprise, yet has been reproduced into many
languages and Sasithorn’s version of ART is no less marvellous
than the others.

Since the play came to existence before I did, I expected it to be

like the my mommy and her friends favourite kind of thing or
too artsy to understand, but of course my superficial hypothesis
was totally wrong. Every bits and pieces of the play were forged
to be a timeless gem, that anyone can enjoy at any age. Most
importantly the script was very well adapted to Thai manner
without a slightest hint of awkwardness.

The story was all about a fight among a squad of three friends
Serge (Setthawut Chanpenuk), Marc (Nuttapong
Mongkolsawas) , and Yvan (Tarin Prinyaknit). The contention
sparked by a minimalist masterpiece recently bought by Serge
for 200000 francs. So what did the painting do that almost
torpedo the enduring friendship of these guys? It was actually
the lack of empathy and polarised views about the painting,
since it was just a stroke of white on a white canvas, though
Serge might argues that it is not white but shades of grey. Marc
was totally blown by his best friend’s decision to buy this
painting, referred by him as “this shit”. While, Yvan, standing in
the middle of the crisis, struggled to piece together their long-
lasting relationship.

The set was coloured in all white, simple and clean. While the
lighting was cleverly managed when the characters spoke out
their mind the whole scene froze and the spotlights are on. Set
managers change the scenes swiftly, while the lights are off and
the upbeat background music is played enhancing the comedy-
tone of the play.

Serge, Marc, and Yvan was faultlessly characterised. From the

first glance at Serge, a doctor, neatly dressed with navy
checkered shirt, a bow tie and cream trousers, he looks delicate,
classy and intellectual. Marc, an engineer, black blazer on white
shirt with jeans, looks active and casual. Yvan, a businessman,
loosely dressed with white shirt, and matching blue pants and
tie, makes him look tender and young. The costume designers
had just sculptured matchless characters and were brought to
live by talented actors.

From the first scene, the audiences can perceive how Marc is a
quick-tempered type of a friend who impulsively say his thought
straight to his friend. Marc thought the painting was mediocre
and Serge was stupid enough to purchase it at a terribly high
price. Before, I used to think that Marc is very unreasonable and
immature, but as the story gradually progresses, one can sense
how he was really concern about his friend and at certain degree
heart broken. This is probably how he expected his beloved
friend to be was torn down by the damn painting. He started to
convince himself how Serge had changed into a brainless Hiso-
wannabe and every time he talked with Serge he could not hold
up his anger that he had to take medication. The vulnerabilities
of the characters were little by little revealed to the audiences, of
course, with humour.

Serge, also stunned by Marc’s reaction to his desirable

masterpiece, felt better when he talked to Yvan, who made him
laugh. It is admirable how Serge was so passionate about this
painting and how blissful he looked when people visit him and
wanted to see the piece and the actor’s performance was full-
blown. To me, Yvan was the true climax of the whole
production, according to his violent burst of thought. I deeply
respect the actor in carrying such severely emotional monologue
with such energy of an atomic bomb when the script was like,
two pages long. From that scene, Yvan became the most
vulnerable character of the story who carry the burden that
everyone push away to himself. Not just his two most beloved
friends but also his families that he was always the one in the
middle. It cannot be denied that the world needs more of this
kind of persons who know how to step back, but what he had to
face was too cruel. Yvan seems to be a like sponge, with his
softness he absorbs everything around him, at the same time he
is like a balloon, so ready to pop because of all the pressure
inside. Yvan’s submissive character was finely perform and I’m
sure he is the favourite of many, moreover the script was also
delicately written.

“If I’m who I am because I’m who I am and you’re who you’re
because you are who you are, then I’m who I am and you are
who you are. If on the other hand, I’m who I am because you’re
who you are and you’re who you are because I am who I am,
then I’m not who I am and you’re not who you are…”

This bit of the script said by Yvan is probably the conclusion to

the whole story. It sums up how the characters string up together
with interdependence. When someone blurts out something, it is
out of his control, he is not himself, and that is because the
things around him that builds those feelings and at the same
time make him who he is. Though the main theme of the play is
about friendship, it is applicable to any type of relation, you and
your parents, you and your sweetheart, or even you can your cat.
It is about empathy and reconciliation.

In short, the play was funny, entertaining and worth watching.

But what snaps me the most is how it strikingly encourage self-
awareness. Though, the white painting is somewhat overlooked
by me, in my view, a piece of art would never harm anyone,
even if you would regard it as “art” or not, there are people who
appreciate it and you should not be mean to them regardless of
who they are to you because in the end it is just the matter of
taste. So, big round of applause for the production team, “Art”
was brilliant.