The year is 1874. In Paris’ Café Guerbois, gathering place of artists, writers and their admirers, a group of six painters meet on the eve of their first exhibition together. Shunned by the Salon des Beaux-Arts, arguably the most important art event of the time, this band of non-conformist artists would later come to be known as the “Impressionists”. So is the stage set for “The Exhibition”, a new play written and performed by an established group of Istanbul-based performers.
Over the course of an hour, we are introduced to the somewhat motley crew – Manet, Monet, Pisarro, Degas, Renoir and Cezanne – as they discuss their plans over a drink or three. From the authoritative and respected Manet (their unofficial leader) to the acerbic and antisocial Cezanne, we develop an insight into the character and motivation of these men who founded an art movement that would influence the world. But before they even get that far, unexpected revelations threaten to derail everything…
In the interests of avoiding “spoilers”, discussion of the plot shall be left at that. It could be argued, however, that the plot is not the main point of this show. Rather than telling a story from A to B, the play is an exploration of themes around the concept of community – what it means to be part of one, why common interests draw people together, how we express shared values, and whether the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
The staging reflects this, with an almost in-the-round performance, actors amidst the audience, mingling at the venue’s bar (and sometimes, lavatory). In such an intimate setting, one is hard pressed not to feel part of the something this group (the real and envisioned) have created. And to feel for and with the characters in turns mostly comic and occasionally tragic.
Fans of local improv troupe The Clap, well represented in the cast of “The Exhibition”, will feel right at home here, but so should others – anyone who wants an entertaining evening, certainly. But perhaps more importantly, anyone who seeks original, English-language theatre and wants to play their own part in creating a community to nurture it. Such folk are urged to support the talented cast and crew behind this production, a stream of hope in Istanbul’s parched desert of a scene: Since they’re building it, we should come.
“The Exhibition” is an original play written and devised by Kenny Laurie, Tyler Denison, Luke Webb, Michelle Deniz Rinehart, Zack McMacken, Chris Wall and Peter Klempner. Artwork by Ben Weeks and costumes by May Pann Pwint.
Images courtesy of Khaled Nadim.
