Review: Evolution Theatre’s ‘Picasso at the Lapin Agile’ delights with humour

Evolution Theatre is staging the Steve Martin-written play Picasso at the Lapin Agile. It runs until March 9 at the theatre in Disraeli St.

In its new play Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Evolution Theatre has pulled out all the stops to create a set that makes the audience feel they really are in a Parisian bar ... right down to the sign on the glass-panelled door.

The Lapin Agile was a bar Spanish artist Pablo Picasso was known to frequent and is where the play – written by American comedian Steve Martin – unfolds in all its hilarious glory.

Picasso at the Lapin Agile depicts an imagined meeting between a randy Pablo Picasso and a charming Albert Einstein in 1904 when both were hitting their peaks.

Picasso was transitioning from his Blue Period to his Rose Period while 1904 was the cusp of Einstein’s annus mirabilis (miraculous year) when he published four papers that revolutionised science, including The Theory of Special Relativity.

In Evolution Theatre’s performance – directed by Dinna Myers – the audience is instantly immersed in interesting and bizarre conversations with a host of colourful bar patrons, including regular patron Gaston (played by Fraser Grout).

Grout perfectly portrays the archetype, arrogant and patriotic Frenchman as he bemoans the process of ageing and the invisibility that goes with it (although we do hear of one passionate encounter with a woman literally at death’s door).

A young Einstein, played masterfully by Brent Charles Forge, is introduced to the audience, who quickly warm to this quirky genius, who has no trouble solving complicated arithmetic problems to help barman Freddy (Kevin Haggard) balance the books, and reveals he wrote a paper titled “The Special Theory of Relativity”.

An infatuated Suzanne (Sam Millar) comes into the bar in the hope of reuniting with Picasso, having spent a passionate night with him and gifted a drawing following the encounter.

Daniel Siata brings warmth and humour to the role of server Germaine, who predicts (accurately) the 20th century will be better than the 19th, including air travel, images being sent through the air and smoking banned in restaurants.

Not so Freddy, however, who foretells (inaccurately) “a century of peace”.

Profit-mongering art dealer Sagot (Russell McLeod) enters holding a Matisse painting he has recently acquired and discusses the merits of the work.

Picasso, played by Myles Ashworth, makes a grand entrance at the end of the first half – Ashworth delivering a pitch-perfect performance of the womanising genius.

The styles of the two lead characters couldn’t be more different, but their minds are similarly brilliantly creative, drawing a direct parallel between advances in art and science.

Both believe their work will change the century – they just don’t know how.

A third disrupter, Schmendiman (Teddy Grant), takes the stage, claiming he has invented a new building material that will change the world. His outrageous arrogance and confidence are used to full comic effect.

When a visitor from the future (played by Alex Raines) arrives, the audience discovers why it is called an absurdist comedy.

Martin’s brand of humour blends dry sarcasm and utter silliness, and one can almost picture him playing any of the characters.

It is great to see the Evolution actors fully embody their roles, right down to spot-on accents.

Director Myers has excelled in creating a broadly funny comedy with some wacky characters that stay in the mind long after the curtain goes down.

The details:

Picasso at the Lapin Agile

February 27-March 9

Evolution Theatre, 75 Disraeli St

Tickets at trybooking.com or on the Evolution website.