Review by Markus Hamence – Art The Play. Performance date: Wednesday 20 May 2026. Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide, South Australia.
This play is deliciously dangerous and watching three longtime friends tear each other apart over a $160,000 white painting is hilariously perfect theatre. Acclaimed French playwright Yasmina Reza’s Art still lands like a perfectly sharpened blade. Expertly translated by Christopher Hampton, the razor-sharp wit and emotional brutality of the script feel every bit as fresh and contemporary today as when the play first exploded onto stages around the world. Playing at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide, this latest production transforms intellectual snobbery, male ego and decades of buried resentment into one of the funniest and most painfully recognisable nights in the theatre.
“Art turns friendship into a blood sport – and it’s absolutely glorious to watch.”
Markus Hamence
Directed with pure precision by Lee Lewis, the production never allows the tension to settle (or the dialogue stop). Lewis keeps the pacing tight and restless, allowing the comedy to explode naturally while carefully revealing the emotional fractures sitting underneath every conversation. The physical movements are over-the-top and more dramatic than a schoolyard tantrum, and the result is visually grabbing. The gathering of all of this is a production that feels sophisticated, contemporary and brutally honest all at once.
The casting alone feels like an event. Richard Roxburgh (Baz Lurmann’s Moulin Rouge and Elvis), Damon Herriman and Toby Schmitz don’t casually perform together – they circle one another like old friends like sharks who know exactly where the emotional bruises are hidden. The chemistry is electric from the opening moments, with every sarcastic jab, awkward silence and explosive rant feeling frighteningly real.
Roxburgh brings a beautifully simmering frustration to Marc, making him both impossible and deeply human at the same time. Herriman’s Serge carries the smug confidence of a man desperately trying to convince himself he’s evolved beyond his friends, while Schmitz absolutely steals moments throughout the night with nervous chaos and brilliantly timed emotional collapses. His spiralling monologue work becomes one of the evening’s biggest highlights, earning huge laughs from the Adelaide audience.
“Friendship has never looked this mean, bonkers, petty, absurd and freaking funny… or simpy, this gut wrenchingly fragile.”
Markus Hamence
What makes Reza’s writing – and Hampton’s translation – still feel so contemporary is how little the play is actually about art. The painting is merely the match thrown into years of insecurity, jealousy, masculinity and changing identity. One friend buys an absurdly expensive modern artwork. The others react. But underneath the arguments about taste sits a much bigger fear – what happens when the people who have known you the longest suddenly become strangers?
The minimal (but striking) staging works beautifully in the production’s favour, allowing the dialogue to dominate the room. Every glare lands. Every pause stretches. Every insult detonates. The audience swings wildly between laughter, horrified gasps and uncomfortable recognition because nearly everyone has had friendships that quietly shifted beneath the surface while nobody wanted to admit it.
Art is savage, brutal, stylish and wickedly funny theatre powered by Yasmina Reza’s brilliant script, Christopher Hampton’s sharp translation and Lee Lewis’ intelligent direction. Beneath the laughter sits a confronting truth: sometimes the people we love most are only one argument away from becoming complete strangers.
Wrapping up: Art The Play is sharp, sophisticated and savagely funny, Art proves that the messiest masterpieces are sometimes human relationships themselves. A standing ovation.
Now, gotta go. I’m off to paint some canvases basic white to sell them at the markets this week!
Art
20–24 May ’26
Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide
Tickets
REVIEW COLLABORATION
Review by Jeff Smith, Wednesday 20 May 2026
ART is one of most anticipated theatre events of 2026, and its triumphant sold-out opening in Adelaide lived up to the hype on every level. This powerhouse production starring Richard Roxburgh, Damon Herriman and Toby Schmitz is a genuine masterpiece, framed by exceptional performances, chemistry and Yasmina Reza’s instantly relatable and timeless script.
At the heart of this production are the dynamics between Marc (Roxburgh), Serge (Herriman) and Yvan (Schmitz) From the opening scene, the trio command the stage, demonstrating why ART remains essential theatre more often than three decades after its premiere.
ART is far more than a play about modern art. It’s a powerful exploration of human connection and how our long-term friendships change and evolve with time. Thought provoking and fiercely intelligent, ART is one of the standout theatre experiences in recent years.
Put simply, ART leaves an impression- go see it.
