The Milwaukee Post

August 16, 2013 • Milwaukee Post • 17 'Art' paints intriguing story about relationships By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic MILWAUKEE – "Art," by the French playwright Yashmina Reza, is both thoughtprovoking and funny . The wonderful set design by Keith Pitts is evocative of the non-representational art of Piet Mondrian and sets the stage for a 90minute discussion of art and a window into the nature of perception and the challenges of friendship. At times, the discussion becomes a bit gritty . Art is always a good subject for discussion and disagreement. Many attempts have been made to define art and to determine when it gets labeled as "good." Is it just a matter of individual taste or are there objective criteria by which it can be judged? Good question. So that is one issue that is being tackled here. But I think perception is the larger issue in this drama – how we deal with those whose perceptions are quite different from ours, if we can respect our differences or are forever tied to our own view of the world. The play begins with one friend, a dermatologist named Serge, showing his friend Marc a new painting that he has just purchased, one that he spent a hefty sum for and one that he is excited about. Does he really love it or does he love it for its monetary worth or the prestige of owning it? Marc does not share his enthusiasm; in fact, he thinks it is a ridiculous painting and that his friend is a bit addled to have bought it, especially for such a large sum. He is quite blatant in his ridicule. Thus, the friction begins, which brings to mind the adage, "Love me, love my dog" At a glance The Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's "Art" runs through Aug. 25 at the Broadway Theatre Center's Cabot Theatre, 158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee. For show times and tickets, call 414-291-7800 or visit www.milwaukeechambertheatre.com. Photo by Mark Frohna/Special to The Post From left, Brian Mani, Tom Klubertanz and C.Michael Wright converse during a scene from the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's production of "Art." or "If you love me, you will espouse my values and cherish what I cherish because in rejecting them, you are rejecting me." Marc and Serge are now at odds, so Marc consults a third friend, Yvan, whom he encourages to visit Serge to view the controversial painting. So Yvan does, and being the more diplomatic and less arrogant of the two friends, he tells Serge that he thinks the painting very interesting and that it moves him. Does it really move him or is he just saying that to avoid hurting Serge? So the painting ends up being the catalyst for these three friends trying to understand each other, to examining their relationships with each other, to revealing all kinds of pent-up feelings each has had about each other over the 15-year span of their friendship. It is the trigger for all kinds of good and not-so-good communication among them. Not only is it interesting as a mirror of how complex relationships can become and the mysterious process that guides our choices of friends, but it is particularly enlightening in its revelation of the nature of many male relationships. Men, in general, are not as personally disclosive as women are. Their conversations usually revolve around events and things. They share activities more than feelings. But not in this play and one senses how uncomfort, able they are with this process of being honest. Michael C. Wright as Serge, the prickly but proper art collector, Brian Mani as Marc, the rather arrogant engineer, who prides himself on being an original and not swayed by present trends, and Tom Klubertanz as Yvan, the bumbling but dear man who is not very polished or very directed but is more genuine than the other two put together, are all well- cast. The ending holds a few unexpected twists, but the whole play provides a heap of entertainment and much to think about as we leave the theater. "Art" is directed by Tylre Marchant. 'Planes' offers lessons, quips but not much originality By TOM JOZWIK Special to The Post MILWAUKEE – On the big screen, the character type has existed at least since Jimmy Stewart played it to perfection in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939). Stewart, in fact, built a career out of portraying kindly but seemingly incompetent personages who achieve considerable success against all odds – Horatio Algers, if you will, with a stutter and a drawl. It's too bad Jefferson Smith's alter ego wasn't available (Stewart died in 1997) to serve as principal character Dusty Crophopper's voice in the Disney movie "Planes." Something of a sequel to Disney's "Cars 2" (2011), "Planes" is also an animated action film in 3-D. This latest incarnation of the Alger myth features the voices of Dane Cook (Jon Cryer was originally cast) as Dusty; Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett and Teri Hatcher as Dusty's buddies Skipper, Chug and Dottie; Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Dusty's friendly competitor Rochelle, and Roger Craig Smith as his villainous rival Ripslinger. (Additional celebrity voices are Submitted photo From left, Dottie the forklift, voice by Teri Hatcher, Fred the Firetruck, voiced by Marc Silk, Dusty, voiced by Dane Cook, center, Chug the fuel truck, voiced by Brad Garrett and Roper, voiced by Sinbad, are shown in a scene from the animated film "Planes." identified in the accompanying information box.) The "Planes" protagonist is a crop duster (or "farmboy," as sleeker entries in an international race modeled on the Indy 500 derisively call him). Dusty is also acrophobic. The main action of the movie might be summarized by arranging five of its soundtrack titles in cause-and-effect fashion: "Crop Duster." "Last Contestant." "Running on Fumes." "Dusty Has to Ditch." "Skipper to the Rescue." (Established tunes like "Anchors Aweigh" and "The Girl from Ipanema" supplement Mark Mancina's unobtrusive score.) Subplots proclaim the importance of friendship and the distinct possibility of correction when folks fly off course in their lives. A story line parents and even kids may find rather hackneyed is buttressed by airplane-humanizing humor. Quips in the Jeffrey M. Howard screenplay include "This guy needs to get his head gasket checked"; "Corn gives you gas"; and – from a flying machine out of Mexico – "Don't drink the petro." More such one-liners could've contributed greatly to the viewing, or listening, experience. 3-D-enhanced 'Planes' ★ ★ 1/2 Starring: Voices of Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Roger Craig Smith, Priyanka Chopra, Val Kilmer, John Cleese, Cedric the Entertainer, Sinbad, Brent Musberger Director: Klay Hall Running time: 92 minutes Rating: PG Showings: See www.marcustheatres.com. storms, skylines and soaring aircraft made their contributions, as did animated earthbound vehicles such as buses and cars (actually one car is able to fly in "Planes," a circumstance remindful of the real-life, MIT-engineered Terrafugia Transition vehicle). Despite its total lack of human characters, "Planes" is not lacking in humanity . Only, to an appreciable extent, in originality .

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