Art Review

“Can anything be called art?” “Can a blank canvas be art?” “Is art subjective?” “What makes art what it is?” “What gives expensive art its value?” “Can friendship survive intense disagreements?” These are the questions that the play Art poses, which it does while making audiences laugh until they wet their pants.

After a disappointing matinee at Queen of Versailles, I had high hopes for Art. Especially with the flashy cast attached, particularly James Corden whom I consider one of the greatest comedians of the generation. Seeing Corden live was a bucket list item. Love him or hate him Corden is talented with a capital T. In addition to Corden, Neil Patrick Harris and Bobby Canavelle round out the trio. I'd seen Harris previously but had no idea who Canavelle was. 

 

The show tells the story of Serge, played by Harris, who has recently purchased an expensive painting consisting of a white canvas with fine white lines. Marc, played by Canavelle, thinks Serge has lost his mind and doesn’t see the need to pay $300,000 for a blank canvas, while Corden’s Yvan tries to be the middle ground between the trio. Their disagreement causes a debate over their values, friendship, and personal choices.

I had initial hesitations about seeing this show and was unsure whether or not I would even enjoy it or if I was the target audience. I only wanted to see this cast on stage for the merit of saying that and knew that I’d need to laugh after a rough week at work and the train wreck that was my matinee. This show seemed to fit the bill without breaking the bank.

The sets are quite basic. The play takes place in three different apartments. Each member of the trio has something that makes their own pad stand out, but the sets are not over the top or grand. There was no need for them to be particularly spectacular when this show’s focus is on the performances. 

Yazmina Reza’s book is as relevant, witty, and sharp as it was in 1994. Most shows that were written before 2000 try to modernize the book, but neither script revisions nor grand sets were necessary here. 

One cannot talk about this show or Corden’s performance without mentioning the six-and-a-half minute monologue he delivers mid-show out of nowhere. The monologue is often studied in acting classes for good reason. It’s a chance for actors to put their own personal stamp on the character and show off their unique comic chops. I knew from early reviews that this was the high point of the show and that Corden’s delivery is hailed as “a masterclass in comedy,” and I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest. Corden makes a full-bodied meal out of this monologue, and it only took a minute to realize why it was a masterclass, not just of dramatic comedy, but of physical comedy as well. Corden was all over the place, almost manic, reminding me of myself when I've had maybe a little too much caffeine. Now, it's easy to make me chuckle, but it's not easy to make me almost die laughing. Corden did just that. There were points where I was laughing so hard that I almost fell out of my seat or where I was clutching my abs with tears running down my face because it physically hurt me to laugh as hard as I did. Judging by those around me, I wasn't the only one Corden had in stitches. It will live as one of the top theatre experiences of my life.

Corden is hysterical, charismatic, charming, and sharp as Yvan. From the moment he appears crouching behind his couch looking for a pen, with a shocked Pikachu look on his face, he had the audience in the palm of his hand. The zingers came flying out one after another. Corden also shines in his character's more grounded and poignant moments, like the small arguments between the group, the moments in which he doubts himself, and those in which he doubts his engagement that his friends think is a horrible idea. This is an actor who has extraordinary range, and for that, he has my utmost respect. Corden clearly has a strong off-stage friendship with Harris and Canavelle which shows in some of the lighter moments. Although the performance I attended was towards the end of the show's limited run, Harris was visibly in awe during Corden’s monologue and Canavelle was trying to hold back a smile. I also had the once in a lifetime opportunity to tell Corden how much I admired him—and how much my students love him in Doctor Who—at the stage door. Corden was so moved by my compliments that he reached over the barricade and gave me a one armed hug.

Neil Patrick Harris is grounded and passionate as Serge. I was surprised that his performance didn’t let his comic chops shine as much. He was still very funny, but I've seen him in roles like the storyteller in Peter Pan Goes Wrong and Count Olaf in A Series of Unfortunate Events in which he was much funnier. I expected Harris to be the first one to make me bust a gut laughing, though I still really enjoyed his performance. Harris is one of the most versatile actors in the business and is always entertaining to watch. His banter with Corden and Canavelle is joyful and fun, even when Canavelle is taking the absolute piss out of him. 

Bobby Canavelle was magnetic, manic, and energetic as Marc. Canavelle was the perfect person to round out this already talented group. I had no idea who he was when I walked into the Music Box theater. Rest assured, I do now. I initially was the least excited about his performance purely because I didn’t know who he was, but he ended up giving a wonderful performance. Canavelle actually made me laugh more than Harris, and I was close enough that I could see some of his facial acting. Canavelle has one of those faces that is just so perfect for strong character comic acting! I liked that his character and performance were more blunt than those of Corden and Harris. Where Corden and Harris kept this show more light, Canavelle made it serious while still being hysterical, especially in his interactions with Harris. Watching these two comic giants felt like watching a sketch comedy show. I loved watching their banter and seeing them play off of one another. 

Overall, this was exactly what I needed when I needed it and it was so much fun. The show was like a perfect ice cream sundae, with the three leads as perfect scoops of chocolate ice cream, the comic moments as cherries and nuts on top, and the monologue as whipped cream. 

I will repeat here what I told Canavelle at the stage door that chilly November night: “If all three of the leads aren’t nominated for a Tony, I will sing and dance to ‘Splish Splash’ in Times Square. I am that confident.” Canavelle laughed and responded “nah, I think you just want an excuse to sing in Times Square.” However, I sincerely believe this will earn some acting nominations, if nothing else. If anyone is winning, though, it will be Corden. This is by no means the greatest play of the generation, nor is it one that breaks new ground, but it is funny, and, at its core, has three tremendously talented leads telling a great story and giving the funniest performances I’ve seen in a very long time. Shows like Art also remind me that live theatre, especially with such an electrifying cast, is almost always a shot in the arm of joy and happiness. As an exhausted teacher, I need that. 

Overall, I honestly cannot imagine a better way to finish my 2025 theatre season than this show. If I'd followed my own advice and seen this show earlier in the year, I probably would have seen it many more times simply to enjoy some of those moments and performances even more!

My only gripe with this show is my inability to find any footage of Corden’s monologue.