‘Picasso’ is a quirky kind of genius
All my life I’ve been fascinated with the really big questions:
Who would win the celebrity death match between Virginia Woolf and Oprah? If three out of four people suffer from indigestion, does the fourth one enjoy it? And what was Captain Hook’s name before the crock bit his hand off?
Though some questions may always be unsolvable, last Thursday, I found the answer to one of the biggest questions of all: What would happen if Picasso and Einstein met each other in a Parisian bar in 1904?
The answer? Gregarious wit and out-of-control drivel, smattered with meaning and a bit of thought-provoking satire.
The Utah State Theatre’s current production of “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” is definitely worth the trip down to the Caine Lyric – even if you have to ride a yak. Probably UST’s best production of the season, if for no other reason than that the play clocks in at a little under an hour and a half total viewing time, “Picasso” will entertain anyone with an ear for punny sarcasm and cheeky entertainment.
First performed in 1996, “Picasso” was written by actor, writer and all-around funny guy Steve Martin. Though he may be a dozen cheap panthers short of cinematic success right now, the writer in Martin remains a top-notch, nonsense-loving wordsmith somewhere in the spectrum between Terry Pratchett and Dave Barry. Of course, readers of the New Yorker or Martin’s first two novels, “Shopgirl” and “The Pleasure of My Company” already know that.
“Picasso” is set in 1904 at a Parisian Bar called the Lapin Agile. During the course of the evening, two 24-year-old geniuses stumble into one another. Einstein, who is on the brink of publishing his famed theory of relativity, enters the bar and quickly learns it is a favorite hot spot of the brash, womanizing Picasso (stuck in the middle of his infamous blue period).
During the course of the evening, the two swap words in a battle of wits, with each one eventually appreciating the others particular genius. Other colorful characters, including a would-be genius named Schmendimann and a time-traveling visitor, pepper the play with zany dialogue. Topics range from women and fate to artistic breakthroughs and theories about the universe. Though sparse on action, the fast-flying words will likely keep your head spinning.
One of the most unique aspects of the production is the stage, which has been made to resemble one of Picasso’s paintings, bordered by large picture frames with the floor slanted towards the audience at a 30 degree angle. During the evening, I constantly felt the sneaking suspicion that one of the actors was going to experience Newton’s most famous law at the expense of the ill-fated audience members in the front row. Apparently, mountain-goat-like footing has joined the list of requirements for a successful actor.
Though a raucous delight, I must add one caveat – the play contains explicit material from which some students may take offense. If the MPAA got their hands on the show, they’d likely give it a PG-13 rating for sexual humor, profanity, “thematic elements” (Einstein and Picasso have a near-violent pencil fight) and uninhibited amusement.
But, a few sexual puns and a moderate level of irreverence aside, you’re in for a fantastic evening. So, enjoy the indigestion, get on your yak and take a trip to see UST’s production of Martin’s mad-cap comedy.
Matt Wright is a theatre critic for the Utah Statesman. Comments and questions can be sent to him at
mattgo@cc.usu.edu.