The notion of inanimate art objects coming to life is intriguing.
Scots playwright Peter Arnott imagines the process with a fine eye for detail here, in a finely crafted tragi-comic drama as part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint.
In the corner of an exhibition devoted to 19th-century Russian portrait painter Valentin Serov, three portraits begin to talk. As they do, the connections and ties that bind them – in their previous life as living subjects rather than objects, as well as in companion piece Death Paintings – is slowly revealed.
An excellent three-strong cast occupy each of the giant frames on stage. Charlie (Robert Jack) has been painted on a cliff-top contemplating his suicide. Jean (Janette Foggo) is looking out the window of the No 31 bus on Edinburgh's North Bridge. Robert's self portrait has George Docherty wondering what his motivation was in painting himself late at night in his mother's house, in a dressing gown waiting for the phone to ring.
In terms of ideas covered in such a short space of time – depression, cancer, individuality, ageing, the relevance (or not) of art to real life, whether the world is going to hell in hand cart, even a mini art history lesson about Serov – you could be forgiven for thinking Arnott has taken the Jackson Pollock approach here and thrown all he can at his dramatic canvas to see what sticks.
The unfolding conversational narratives, at times philosophical, at times comic, come together seamlessly to make this a gem of a piece. One for art and theatre lovers alike.
Sponsored by Heineken.
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