Young Chang For a look back at...

Young Chang

For a look back at the 20th century, at how the arts and sciences

have changed the way the world works, who better to comment than

Picasso and Einstein?

In comedian Steve Martin’s play “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” the

two famous figures meet by chance in a bar, get to talking and are

then joined by Elvis from the future. It’s a surreal look at

something probably a few of us have wondered: what would happen if

one of the greatest artists and greatest scientists were to leap the

bounds of time and reality and just chill?

“They kind of discover about themselves,” said Kyle Myers, who

directs the show at the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse through Nov. 17.

“And basically, Elvis helps them discover, in a sense, their niche to

the future and how important of a role they’re going to end up

playing.”

The playhouse decided to open its 2002-2003 season with “Picasso”

because, despite its thoughtfulness in subject matter, it’s funny.

“It’s a comedy,” Myers said. “It’s a good comedy to kick off their

season.”

A cast of 12 pulls off the play, putting more of an interactive

twist into what originally called for a slight breaking of the fourth

wall.

“We decided it really could use some more, so that ... the

audience wasn’t caught off guard so much the few times they are

interacting with the [cast],” Myers said.

Steve Endicott, stage manager for the show, said the audience

participation adds to what is already a very intimate setting.

“We felt this was a play about the feelings of the characters as

they related to the audience,” he said. “And it’s kind of a different

show because we brought the set down closer to the audience. We

wanted a more intimate feel for this play.”

The ending to the show is a warm yet bittersweet toast between

Einstein, Picasso and Elvis after all have agreed that and artists

are both in the business of touching the heart and mind.

“Basically, they say they know the 20th century is going to be

better than the last because the movement of artists, musicians and

scientists outshines the movement of politicians,” Myers said. “And

the last line is, ‘To the 20th century, the century of regret.’”