There are giant banners hanging in the Roslyn Packer Theatre foyer to get us into the spirit for Art, the 1994 Yasmina Reza play (translation by Christopher Hampton) that is in Sydney before a tour of Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide (co-produced by State Theatre Company South Australia). “It’s about friendship,” one banner proclaims. “It’s about a painting!” Then, of course, the old joke: “It’s about 90 minutes.”
This is our welcome into a production stacked with beloved Australian actors who also work across film and television: Richard Roxburgh (Rake, Elvis), Damon Herriman (Better Man, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Toby Schmitz (Boy Swallows Universe, Black Sails). This collective star-wattage is likely to bring people to the theatre for the first or a rare time, and it’s always a smart idea to make your audience feel at ease. On opening night, each actor received thunderous entrance applause; people are here to see their celebrity favourites.
