←Recommendations of /ärt/

Steven Martin has made a delightful PG Wodehouse-esque play - snappy, eloquent dialogue and ridiculous characters whose inconsequential responsibilities mean the world to them. Fast and funny but with truth, it's all you could ask for in a ten-minute piece.

Martin creates a funny and biting commentary that speaks volumes about how we often arbitrarily judge talent and art. Sadly, "real" Mrs. Nottings and Mrs Crulls are lurking out there somewhere and we hope their zeal doesn't inflict too much emotional damage on us all. Delightful piece.

Such a fun play! We've all met people like Mrs. Notting & Mrs. Crull, the art show judges who take their jobs a little too seriously. If these two characters weren't already funny enough, about half-way through, Martin pulls back the curtain with a big reveal, making their quest to uphold 'the reputation of this contest and institution' even more absurd. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser at any ten minute play festival.

The language and characters are to die for in this hilarious ten-minute play. I love the level of dedication they have to their task, and how that dedication (and insanity) is carried throughout the piece. This would make a wonderful and funny addition to any night of short works, Martin has a terrific play here.

The best part of this play for me is when the "big reveal" happens and you retroactively laugh at all the pretentious silliness that occurred before. It is a creative and unique play that audiences will love watching, and actors will love performing.

A delightful play, but at the same time, quite insightful and incisive. The moment where we learn the nature of the contest these 2 judges are adjudicating is absolutely hilarious, and everything that follows humorously examines the fallacy of pitting artistic works against each other in competition, given how subjective art is to the viewer. This may be my favorite Steve Martin play, which is really saying something.

Like his other short plays, KiKi Pineapple and A Modern Miracle, Martin has created something truly original, I think. This short play is silly and smart, funny and serious just like his other short plays; and like them they can attract a wide wide audience, any demographic really, any community. For this play, the kids could be played by adults, the judges by kids; all adults or all kids -- many casting possibilities. Maybe one day an evening of his short plays in a neighborhood near you! If it happens here, I hope I'm front row!

Delightful! Best describes this short play. A truly fun and funny unraveling of decorum as an elementary school art competition devolves into chaos. There is seemingly nothing more important to these judges than upholding the well-established standards of the professional art world and applying them to two young artists who prove to be more mature and more secure in themselves than their elders could ever hope to be. There’s a lesson there ;) All female cast of various ages. Perfect show for any festival. Family friendly. Highly recommended.