Steve Martin's Maiden Voyage at the Main St. Theatre

Picasso at the Lapin Agile

By Steven Walling

It is a rare occasion in the theatre when humor of the lowest brow occurs in equal measure with that of the highest. But this is exactly the case in Steve Martin’s inaugural stab at the stage, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, revived here in Vancouver by Arts Equity at the Main Street Theatre.

As the title would naturally suggest, the play concerns a fictitious, chance meeting between Picasso (Dusty Richards) and Einstein (Joey LeBard) at the Lapin Agile bar in Paris, before each man reached the height of his fame. Along with a host of secondary characters, the two young geniuses debate the relative merits and similarities of art and science, and the future of the nascent twentieth century. Somehow, Picasso’s combination of the bluntest and sharpest of puns mix to create an altogether entertaining evening (though not without some trying moments).

Martin sets his work in 1904, ostensibly in an attempt to find a common moment before Picasso and Einstein each unveiled their most celebrated works: the Cubist progenitor Les Demoiselles de Avignon and the general theory of relativity, respectively. But Martin’s play suggests that Picasso was inspired to paint Les Demoiselles three years before he began the work, skipping over the entirety of his Rose period. Furthermore, Einstein’s purpose in arriving at the bar is to court a pretty countess, this when he had been married with children for a year (no mention of any adultery is made, despite all the talk about Picasso’s philandering). Normally, I’d ignore such imprecision and suggest we just suspend our disbelief a little, but since Martin is obviously concerned with at least a modicum of historical accuracy, I’d like a little in return.

Inherent in a depiction of such well-known figures, the abilities required of the cast are different, if not more substantial. Joey LeBard as the young physicist in question is rock solid; not only did he have a steady dialect, amusing and evocative line readings, and a palatable conviction in Einstein’s ideas (something quite essential to playing the man who created them), but he looks just like the man. Sadly, the other half of this famous pair is quite the opposite. Dusty Richards as Picasso exhibits a muddled accent migrating around the globe, and though Picasso was known to have a large personality, Richards flops and flails about spastically all the way through to curtain call. What’s more, after what amounts to nearly an entire first act extolling Picasso’s womanizing skills and suave intellect, Richards’ oafish portrayal is unconvincing, to put it mildly. But aided by a robust supporting cast, a happy medium between Richards’ flawed performance and LeBard’s outstanding one is struck. David Paull makes a notable appearance as the art dealer Sagot, and Adrienne Vogel does an admirable job of shifting between several distinct minor characters. Together, the cast displays a strong camaraderie and a fluidity of exchange that ensured the conversation came off naturally and the punch-lines were hit.

Picasso lacks much in the way of real action, and is mostly comprised of conversation that imparts Martin’s theories on the progress of the twentieth century. But rather than solely being a platform for his musings, it carries off as a lighthearted celebration of some of the genius that contributed to this progress. Though it may seem a bit, well, cheesy to watch Picasso and Einstein view their names literally written in the stars, it is this concluding celebratory tone to Picasso at the Lapin Agile that creates an ultimately satisfying experience, and I gladly recommend that audiences see what is a fun and fascinating production by Arts Equity at the Main Street Theatre.

Picasso at the Lapin Agile plays at The Main Street Theatre, 606 Main St.; July 6, 7 and 8 at 8pm; $10-24; call 695.3770 or visit  www.artsequity.org for more info.