to add to
sunhill's note...
Art is a play by Yasmina Reza. Since its premiere, it has been translated into thirty-five languages (originally written in French). It also won the Moliere award for it's eighteen month premiere run in France, won basically every major new play award in London in 1997 and the 1998 Tony in New York.
The deceptively simple play features three characters - Serge, Marc and Yvan. The plotline revolves around Serge's recent purchase of a modernist painting -- white lines on a white canvas -- for 200,000 francs. What begins as an argument over the worth of the painting evolves to a full fledged fight between the three characters, threatening a fifteen year friendship between Marc and Serge.
Ironically titled, Art is not really about art. It is a play about the nature of friendship, loyalty, honesty and social status. The painting serves as a vehicle that exposes the true nature of Serge and Marc's relationship. Although tackling some heavy issues the play is hilarious and manages to provoke both laughter and thought, and makes for some great discussion afterwards.