Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Ruskin Group Theatre

Picasso at the Lapin Agile

Ruskin Group Theatre
3000 Airport Ave. Santa Monica

Paris, 1904. Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso meet at a bar, a favorite spot for struggling artists and writers, with an array of colorful characters and lively repartee. It's just before Einstein's theory of relativity transformed physics and Picasso's transition to cubism opened limitless possibilities for modern art. What might these icons of art and science have discussed while standing on the precipice of greatness? The play imagines, in a light-hearted and humorous way, the similarities of the creative process involved with great leaps of imagination in art and science.

Thru - Jun 17, 2023

Fridays: 8:00pm

Saturdays: 8:00pm

Sundays: 2:00pm

Price: $20 - $35

Show Type: Comedy

Box Office: 310-397-3244

www.ruskingrouptheatre.com

Picasso at the Lapin Agile Reviews

Average Rating based on 7 reviews

Highly Recommended
Recommended
Somewhat Recommended
Not Recommended

Stage and Cinema - Somewhat Recommended

"...Part of Picasso’s charm is its meta self-awareness. (When a lover of Picasso inquires when he’ll come for her, he responds, “When the play is over”; similarly, a young, hip Einstein crazies-up his hair in order to be more recognizable as his future self.) As with Sunday in the Park with George, Picasso at the Lapin Agile is a work that contemplates legacy; in the latter, it’s the legacies of 20th-century visionaries who, in their respective fields, forever change the world. While overtly silly, Picasso is also sweet, sentimental. Through comedy, it highlights the inherent beauty of the arts and sciences. And yet, the poor pacing, miscasting, and mixed performances in this uneven Ruskin production prevents its full realization."

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- Marc Wheeler

LA Splash - Highly Recommended

"...PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE is a delightful tale of “what-ifs” which will charm, entertain, create some belly laughs, and also raise some serious philosophical questions. Helmed by skilled director Amelia Mulkey, the play speeds through the story with nary a moment to waste. While at its heart the content might seem rather intellectual, Mulkey and the excellent cast manage of keep things moving – and the audience laughing and following along with them. The ensemble cast and the director clearly “get it” and make sure that the audience members do too."

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- Elaine Mura

Stage Scene LA - Highly Recommended

"...Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso square off to both whimsical and profound effect in Picasso At The Lapin Agile, Steve Martin’s delightful theatrical soufflé, now weaving its magic spell at the Ruskin Group Theatre."

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- Steven Stanley

On Stage Los Angeles - Highly Recommended

"...If "Silly" is in your wheelhouse, Do Not Pass Go! Simply head to the Ruskin at the Santa Monica Airport to see Steve Martn's 1992 play PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE."

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- Sheehan

Stage Raw - Highly Recommended

"...Playwright Steve Martin injects his signature offbeat comedy into this refreshingly heady, Tom Stoppard-esque piece. Before studying acting, Martin attended college as a philosophy major and his desire to find meaning in art and science is on full display in Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Each of its characters are obsessed with philosophical theory, society, relationships, culture, and most of all, the future. Picasso and Einstein never doubt their genius; they never waver from the inevitability that they will change the world. It’s hard not to imagine Martin himself, writing this play at the tail end of the 1900s, endeavoring to find the source of his own genius and his place in the century ahead."

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- Taylor Kass

Its Not About Me - Somewhat Recommended

"...But for me, this is actually Steve Martin at his least funny. However, there are several really good laughs in it, and the almost sold-out audience I saw it with appeared to be really enjoying themselves, as were Jeanine and I. (Just be aware that the character Picasso doesn’t come in until about halfway through, so the title is a tad misleading.)"

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- Karen Salkin

Glamgical - Highly Recommended

"...Picasso at the Lapin Agile is an appreciation of the value and the contributions of art and science in our society. Amelia Mulkey‘s direction captures the essence of the dialogue and the space: The desire of a new generation to break from the past and explore new possibilities based on revolutionary ideas. The staging transports the audience to a bustling place where colorful characters debated about life, love, and the hopes of a better future."

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Picasso at the Lapin Agile at Ruskin Group Theatre