HiHi!!
It's been about a year since I had read the play,
Picasso at the Lapin Agile, by Steve Martin.
When it was announced that UNT would be putting the play on,
I already knew that as a Theatre major myself,
& knowing the comedy capabilities of the actors within the show,
this satirical comedy would be a hit!
Picasso at the Lapin Agile takes place in France in the year 1904.
A young Albert Einstein joins a friendly group of people in The Lapin Agile,
a bar where artists meet and discuss their futures.
The scientific genius, Einstein, comes face-to-face
with the talented young artist, Pablo Picasso,
& a battle between brain, wit, and skill ensues!
Although there is a bounty of crazed characters within the show,
the two primaries are the two historical figures themselves:
Pablo Picasso, 23, a Spanish painter currently stuck in his "blue period."
He is a well known womanizer and lover
in search for fame and beauty in his work.
Picasso is passionate about every aspect of his life
and believes that Einstein's scientific formulas have no beauty or purpose.
Albert Einstein, 25, a German physicist currently developing his general theory of relativity.
He is fully aware of the potential his manuscript holds for the future of science.
Einstein is passionate about his work
& strives to make the others understand the power of science for all life.
On the outer layers, this play may seem just a comedy,
but like every other story, this play has a super-objective
behind all the crude language and laughter.
In the turn of the century,
science and art take the lead in development over politics.
As I had expected,
I left the theatre still talking and laughing about the play with my friends.
I really liked the play as a hole,
especially the use of the character's French accents.
One of my favorite parts
was when they broke the fourth wall at the beginning
and interacted with the audience.
Overall, the actors did a fantastic job with the play;
after all, comedy is one of the hardest aspects in theatre to fulfill.
Picasso &Einstein were fun to watch throughout the story
& how they interacted with the other characters.
My only concern with the play
would be a few aspects in the design field.
The set was beautifully done, the actors used the whole space
& the music was periodical;
however, some lighting and costume choices were a bit distracting.
In the script, "The Stranger," or Elvis Presley,
plainly walks into the bar.
In this performance,
a spectacle was made of of his entrance.
Elvis' costume was also another distraction:
it was like a pixie had attacked him- too much glitter!
The only other piece of the performance
was a little comedy performance after the curtain call.
Sure, it was entertaining, but not necessary.
Till Next Time:
Remember to KEEP IT GENKI!!
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☆*:.｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
