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PRESS: Yasmin Reza’s hit comedy, ART, at the Baxter for a limited season
- Aug 27
- 3 min read
KKNK
Booking is now open for Yasmina Reza’s most celebrated contemporary comedy, ART, which comes to the Baxter Flipside for a limited season, from 1 to 12 September 2026.
This internationally acclaimed theatre hit comedy, translated into English by Christopher Hampton, follows the success of the Afrikaans adaptation, ‘KUNS’, which made its debut at the KKNK (Klein Karoo National Arts Festival) in 2025. Widespread acclaim followed the production, continuing its success at the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees later that year.
The English South African production is directed and designed by Marthinus Basson, one of South Africa’s most acclaimed theatre-makers and features award-winning performances by Wilhelm van der Walt, Wessel Pretorius and Ludwig Binge. Critics cited the chemistry between the acting trio as one of the production’s greatest strengths.
Written by French playwright Yasmina Reza and translated by Academy Award-winning writer Christopher Hampton, ART remains one of the most successful contemporary comedies. At its heart is a deceptively simple premise: Serge buys an expensive artwork, consisting entirely of white lines on a white canvas. His friend Marc is appalled. Their mutual friend Yvan is caught in the middle. What begins as a disagreement about art, soon unravels into a hilarious, razor-sharp examination of friendship, loyalty, identity, taste and the fragile bonds that hold relationships together. Original international productions of the play received Tony and Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Play, while the French premiere received the Molière Award for Best Commercial Production.
Following its KKNK debut, ‘KUNS’ received nine Kanna Award nominations and won five, including Best Theatre Production, Best Debut Production, Best Ensemble, Best Literary Contribution and Wilhelm van der Walt for Best Actor. The production later received the Woordtrofee for Best Ensemble at the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees,and earned five kykNET Fiësta Award nominations, including Best Ensemble and performance nominations for all three performers.
Critical response was overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Die Burger’s Arts Editor, Laetitia Pople, described the production as a profound and meaningful exploration of friendship, identity and the search for meaning, praising its intellectual depth, emotional resonance and superb performances.” Diane De Beer, writing in the KKNK’s Festival Newspaper, praised “the production as “a majestic production ... with the success lying in the performances of its actors”.
Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees Festival Newspaper, critic Chase Rhys described the production as “fast-paced, sophisticated and highly entertaining”, while applauding the established chemistry of the cast and Basson’s elegant and accomplished staging. Rhys concluded that the production sits comfortably within the distinguished international legacy of celebrated productions of ART.
Maroela Media’s Christa Steyn-Bezuidenhout praised the work as a clever, witty and insightful comedy that uses a dispute over a painting to uncover deeper truths about friendship, pride, loyalty and the universal need to be understood.
The upcoming season at The Baxter presents an exciting opportunity for audiences to encounter Reza’s masterpiece in Hampton’s renowned English translation, while experiencing the same award-winning creative vision that made the Afrikaans production one of South Africa’s theatrical highlights of 2025.
“ART, by Yasmina Reza is as close to a perfect play as one can hope for,” says director Marthinus Basson. “The recent outbreak of productions right across the world proves its value as a gem of contemporary playwriting and the extraordinary opportunity it provides three actors to shine at their craft.”
He continues “The play's refined, almost musical structure and crisp, witty dialogue belie a deep analysis of friendship, the limits of loyalty and the glue that binds three very different people - friends for 15 years - in a titanic battle over their personal taste and preference in art. All due to the acquisition of a painting."
Funny, sophisticated and unexpectedly moving, ART questions: how well do we really know our friends?
Tickets for the limited season from 1 to 12 September 2026 at the Baxter Flipside are available through Webtickets online or at Pick n Pay stores.