“This is not, by any means, a revival of the 1998 production,” when the play first premiered in Portugal. “It’s something else, another show,” stated António Pires in an interview before the play’s premiere last Wednesday, highlighting that the passage of time makes the comedy “an entirely different thing today.”
The “Art” season at Maria Matos was initially scheduled until October 12. Today, the production company Força de Produção announced that the show will run until November 2, extending its stay for an additional three weeks.
Focusing on three friends whose relationship is strained when one of them purchases a completely white painting by a famous contemporary artist, “Art” explores universal themes inherent to the human condition, such as conflict, empathy, the subjectivity of taste, coexistence, and acceptance.
In the interview, António Pires noted that “Art” is “one of the most performed and produced comedies worldwide,” citing the recently opened Broadway production starring Bobby Cannavale, James Corden, and Neil Patrick Harris, with tickets priced around $500.
Being a comedy “that greatly depends on the actors’ performances,” and considering the time elapsed since its original premiere in Paris in 1994 (four years before its arrival in Portugal), the current production at Maria Matos “offers a completely different perspective on the play,” he assured.
“Art” premiered in Portugal in 1998 at Teatro Villaret, featuring performances by António Feio (as Sérgio), who also directed, José Pedro Gomes (as Marco), and Miguel Guilherme (as Ivo). The play was recorded on video at the time.
The three actors reprised their roles in 2003, making it one of the most successful comedies by the producer UAU, which brought it back to the stage in 2016 at Teatro Tivoli/BBVA, with performances by Vítor Norte, João Lagarto, and Adriano Luz, who directed alongside Carla de Sá.
These productions toured various Portuguese stages and were produced by UAU.
At Teatro Maria Matos, the play stars Rui Melo (as Sérgio), Nuno Lopes (as Marco), and Cristóvão Campos (as Ivo), in a show produced by Força de Produção, with performances from Thursday to Saturday at 9:00 PM and on Sunday at 6:00 PM.
