Patrick Webb
Yvan, played by Marcus Liotta, left, reacts defensively when the assertive Marc, played
by David Sweeney, seeks to express a reaction to their friend’s modern art piece.
Continued from Page 28
different words.” French words linger
in the translated script. “It’s great lan-
guage and has to be fully expressed,”
Bain said.
In an uninterrupted 90 minute ses-
sion, contrasting characters examine
the nature of friendship. The setting is
a generic European apartment, though
each character’s home showcases a dif-
ferent painting.
Jeremiah Williams, acting in his first
role in decades, plays Serge, a charac-
ter who pays $40,000 for a 4 by 5 foot
canvas that is all white except for some
white diagonal lines.
David Sweeney plays Marc, a cyn-
ical friend who tells Serge that the
painting is ridiculous. Sweeney, a
pastor at Calvary Episcopal Church
in Seaside, is a stalwart of the Clat-
sop County theater scene, but fully
acknowledged the play is a change of
pace. “It is nice to get your teeth into
something I have not done before,”
Sweeney said.
The director has appreciated his
input. “He ( Sweeney ) has been around
a long time and comes up with intelli-
gent and apt choices,” Bain said.
Marcus Liotta, who plays another of
Serge’s friends, recently opened Galac-
tix, a taproom and arcade, in a reno-
vated building across the street from
the theater. Liotta, a son of longtime
Oregon thespian Bob Liotta, spent part
of his time in COVID quarantine train-
ing remotely with the Second City
comedy troupe. Liotta drew on those
lessons while building his charac-
ter. “It’s a pretty involved role,” Liotta
said.
Some might say that a great friend
is someone who will always stand by
you, but will also tell you truths you
may not want to hear. That’s a concept
which is severely tested in “Art.”
“It’s important to allow people to
evolve,” Bain noted, when asked for
her insights on the nature of friendship.
“There’s a caution about being unkind
to your friends. Unkind is too nice a
word. While the characters fundamen-
tally love each other, they can be bru-
tal,” she added.
The drama is sparked, in part,
because Serge did not consult his friend
before the art purchase. “There is an
element of Marc feeling displaced by
the painting, as he was the ‘big dog’ in
the friendship — and he is not a ‘mod-
ern-art person,’” Bain said.
“Serge sees something in it that
speaks to him,” Williams said. “He has
his own ideas about what makes good
art. He has found it and wants to share
it with his friends.”
Yvan, unhappy in his job and dis-
tracted by his upcoming wedding, tries
to stay neutral and mollify both. “They
like him because he is a breath of fresh
air in this intellectual world,” Bain
said, “They appreciate him, but they all
attack each other.”
Bain describes her directing style
as a process of discovery, beginning
with a broad concept and then allow-
ing actors to explore scenes at rehears-
als. “This play is more of an intellec-
tual pursuit. The comedy is different,”
Bain said.
A white canvas art piece
speaks to the tastes
of Serge, played by
Jeremiah Williams, in
the Ten Fifteen Theater
production of ‘Art.’
Patrick Webb
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