Yasmina Reza’s Arti at Teatru Manoel: 4 Stars

Last Updated on October 17, 2026 by Ramona Depares

I first reviewed the Maltese translation of Yasmina Reza’s Arti in 2023, and you’ll find the original review at the very bottom of this post. That earlier production also featured translation and direction by Albert Marshall, with Mikhail Basmadjian, Sean Buhagiar and Ray Calleja in the role of the three friends who so hilariously “deconstruct” their friendship as if it were an art piece to be picked at and prodded.

This second iteration moved from Strait Street’s The Splendid to the stage of Teatru Manoel. It certainly did justice to Reza’s original and it also refined on the Maltese premiere from three years ago. Before getting into the nitty gritty, here are the production details.

Arti at Teatru Manoel – the details

Play	Arti by Yasmina Reza
My Rating	⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ (4/5)
Production	Teatru Manoel
Script	Yasmina Reza
Translation	Albert Marshall
Director	Albert Marshall
Cast	Sean Buhagiar, Mikhail Basmadjian, Ray Calleja
Stage Manager	Marco Mallia
Assistant Stage Manager	Karl Cassar
Light design	Albert Marshall, Dali Aguerbi
Sound design	Alberto Garzia
Set design	Adrian Mamo
Content warnings	Language
Running Time	1.5 hours no interval
Dates	October 16, 17, 18
Venue	Teatru Manoel
Language	Maltese

Arti – the narrative and translation

The tale focuses on three men who’ve been good friends for a while. One of them, Serge, buys a painting – white, with white streaks, only it’s not quite white, he insists – and pays 200 grand for the privilege. Marc just can’t deal with the pretentiousness of it all. And Yvan is caught in the middle, not quite wanting to upset either and succeeding in upsetting both. Much hilarity ensues.

Somewhat unexpectedly, the friendship dynamic so brutally depicted by Yasmina Reza in her original script lends itself very well to a Maltese translation. I have seen the play in its original form twice when it was produced in Malta by WhatsTheir Names Theatre, and Reza’s text is wonderfully crafted, economical yet deliciously cruel in its depiction of the fragile, male friendship.

Albert Marshall’s translation takes a different approach, giving the three personalities a decidedly Maltese imprint. He doesn’t shy away from the use of expletives and, much to my initial surprise, it totally works. Marshall’s incisive ability to manipulate the quirks of the Maltese language translates into three characters that are superbly relatable to a local audience, while still retaining Reza’s spirit. I also enjoyed the new addition to the script, as the play now opens with a short scene showing Serge at the auction, seated with the audience.

The cast

This production sees the reunion of Sean Buhagiar as Serge, Mikhail Basmadjian as Marc and Ray Calleja as Yvan. Three years on, the chemistry between these three is just as electric, and they slip into their respective roles effortlessly. Buhagiar and Basmadjian swiftly alternate between constant bickering and the occasional attempts at reconcoliation, and their comic timing is impeccable. Both excel in a subtle style of humour, their facial expressions and understated gestures oftentimes having as much impact as the dialogue itself.

Calleja’s hapless Yvan shines through, the actor using his considerable repertoire of skills to bring down the house. His stage presence adds weight to the role, which is already a very physical one. As the play progresses, his increasingly frantic gestures pile on the humour and I swear there wasn’t a single straight face in the audience. Calleja’s comic chops culminate in the famous wedding monologue, as he takes the Manoel’s stage by storm and turns Yvan’s frustrations into a masterclass in physical comedy.

All three actors present near-perfect timing, particularly during the internal monologues,when each character addresses the audience directly while the others seemingly freeze. The transition between private thoughts and onstage interactions was handled with exceptional fluidity.

Arti – direction and staging

This production is directed by Albert Marshall, who continued to build upon his winning formula from three years ago. The migration to the Teatru Manoel stage was the right move as, this time round there were no issues of visibility. Adrian Mamo’s white set is effective but, ironically, the one element that didn’t quite work was the staging of the painting itself, at the very back of the stage. This meant that everytime the actors moved closer to it we lost that sense of intimacy that is crucial to the play.

The actors were not mic’d, which I feel is the right directorial decision. However, it also made it more difficult to hear the dialogue clearly everytime the action moved to the back of the stage. Another aspect that failed to land for me was the choice of music effects, which were akin to those you’d expect in a sit-com or a variety show. The strength of the script and the acting is such that there was no need for additional funny interventions.

My other bone of contention is the treatment of Calleja’s pivotal monologue, where I would have preferred the other two actors not to distract from the moment with unnecessary movement and exaggerated reactions that competed for the audience’s attention.

Arti at Teatru Manoel – the verdict

The 2023 production was already very strong; The new iteration of Arti at Teatru Manoel is even stronger. Don’t take my word for it, take the word of the full house that couldn’t stop howling with laughter.

The beauty of the play is that, despite being so very funny, there’s a serious aspect to it. Don’t be too surprised if you find yourself dissecting your own friendships afterwards. In my book, a play that makes you laugh and also provides fodder for serious thought translates into an excellent night out, provided the cast and director are skilled at what they do. In this case, they certainly are and I’d be happy to watch this play yet another time.

The original review of the 2023 production of Arti at The Splendid

Yasmina Reza’s Art is one of those plays that keeps you constantly engaged with its witty dialogue, no matter how many times you see it. I had watched both English language productions in Malta, and I was very keen to see how it would translate into Maltese as Arti, with Albert Marshall’s direction and translation.

The play was put up at the Splendid, as part of Valletta Cultural Agency’s Stretta festival and saw Sean Buhagiar take up the role of Serge, Mikhail Basmadjian that of Marc and Ray Calleja as Yvan. The narrative is a simple one: Serge buys a ‘modernist’ painting by Antrios depicting white lines on a white canvas. The painting costs 200,000 grand and Marc simply doesn’t get it, calling out Serge’s enthusiasm as fake. Yvan is the third friend stuck in the middle of these arguments while facing personal issues of his own. Things go (much) downhill.

Marshall’s translation offers a fresh take on Reza’s idioms, keeping all her trademark witticisms while toning down the darker elements so as to give the audience a lighter, more accessible script. While Reza purists may well disapprove, from an audience perspective the approach works 100 per cent. So does Marshall’s judicious use of Maltese street vulgarities, which integrated very organically with the register of the original, and effectively lightened the mood when things threatened to get too tense between the three friends on stage.

Buhagiar, Calleja and Basmadjian have good on-stage chemistry. In past years Buhagiar has been absent from the stage, understandably focusing on his Teatru Malta responsibilities. This is a shame; his interpretation of Serge amply proves that he needs to be taking up more acting roles. Initially I had reservations due to the age gap between Buhagiar and the other two leads. As close friends, the three are meant to be more or less around the same age. This is where Buhagiar showed his skill, giving Serge a pompous maturity that makes us forget this gap.

Calleja was outstanding as the put-upon Yvan, perfectly delivering the infamous monologue, blasting a hilarious blend of full-on rage and pathos, never once stumbling or missing a beat. The ensuing cries of ‘bravo’ were entirely well-deserved. Yvan’s is possibly the most difficult character to play – his role is essentially that of an unofficial referee between the other two, and it’s very easy for the other characters to monopolise the attention of the audience. But Calleja’s mastery of comedic timing made his role every bit as memorable as those of Marc and Serge.

Basmadjian brought just the right amount of sadness to the role of the friend who sees himself growing apart from someone he cares for deeply. Marc’s is fundamentally as poignant character and it can’t have been easy reconciling this aspect of the role with the comedic aspect.

My one criticism is that, while I do love the Splendid as a theatre space, this time it didn’t quite work for me as I found it difficult to get a good view of the stage. Being short doesn’t help, I suppose. The other criticism is the pumping music coming from nearby bars, but that’s an entirely different can of worms.

To conclude Yasmina Reza’s Arti was superbly premiered in the Maltese language, and it’s glorious that this work is now also part of theatre Melitensia. Marshall’s translation adds a contemporary register while staying true to Resa’s original work: if you feel like a good night out with plenty of fodder for conversation over your post-dinner cocktail, this is it.

For other theatre reviews, check out this review of Għanqbut f’Moħħa, or the Coward’s classic Private Lives.

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I received no payment for this review and I used press review tickets. The opinions expressed here are purely my own and the theatre company had no input/control over what I wrote. No affiliate links are included in this review.To learn more about my policies and my reviewing process, visit my Affiliate/Advertising disclosure page.