Theater Review: Blue Period

 

Ah, art. Ah, Paris. Ah, friendship, love and disappointment.

You’ll get them all in the world premiere of playwright Charles Borkhuis’ “Blue Period,” playing through Aug. 7 at Chula Vista’s OnStage Playhouse.

The artists here are the one you know – Pablo Picasso – and his friend Carles Casagemas, whose name you probably don’t know. 

When we meet them, they are both youngsters – 19 and 20 – and childhood friends in Barcelona. Picasso (Javier Guerrero) is destined to become a household name in the art world. Casagema (Jose Balistrieri) is not.

Picasso wants to go to Paris not just because it’s the center of the European art world, but because, well, because it’s Paris. Who wouldn’t want to live in a Montmartre garret, hobnob with artists, beautiful women and other Parisians in cafes, opium dens and bordellos, and make contacts with art dealers and maybe possible buyers?

One of the first things they do is meet a lovely and charming woman named Germaine (Claire Kaplan), sometime model, often playmate, who spends an extraordinary amount of time with these two, especially given that she is married to someone we don’t see.

But this is the Belle Epoque, and everything is an adventure, beautiful or at least exciting. Life is wonderful and the dialogue crackles.

Picasso does what he really came for: he meets art dealer Pere Manyac (Herbert Siguenza), who knows a saleable piece of art when he sees one, and he’s seen Picasso’s earliest works. He wants to represent the youngster. Life seems to be going Picasso’s way.

But when the boys go home to Barcelona for Christmas, they are reminded why they left. Both were disappointments to their father, and the trip doesn’t help either’s disposition.

So in the second act, they return to Paris, but now Picasso’s mind is in a different place. Instead of the youthful exuberance of his early paintings, he begins to paint the poor, the downtrodden, the ill. This is the beginning of his Blue Period.

Manyac is annoyed. The dealer wants works he can sell, not portraits of truth. 

Casagemas is getting more and more depressed, because he is hopelessly in love with Germaine, but she refuses his offer of marriage. Twice. Even worse, she seems more interested in Picasso.

Germaine, still lovely, is getting a bit testy as well. “You ignore everyone you’re not painting,” she complains to Picasso.

The play will not end happily for all, but it is wonderfully presented. All four actors are superb and well directed by OnStage artistic director James P. Darvas. 

Guerrero is charming and fun to watch as the dedicated Picasso, who keeps painting through it all and telling his Barcelona buddy Casagemas to do likewise.

Balistrieri is also effective as Casagemas, who came for the friendship but realizes that he is not the artist his friend is. Still, he stays around for the ultimate sadness.

Kaplan’s Germaine holds everything together as the center of attention and lust from both these fascinating if frustrating men. She is the ultimate courtesan who looks for no more than pleasant play from either.

Siguenza’s Manyac is the ultimate businessman, who wants the “old” Picasso because it will sell and does his best to convince Picasso to go back to the older style. (Siguenza is an artist himself: take a look at his Picasso-like paintings in the lobby.)

The technical aspects are spectacular, especially the sound and projection design by Estefania Ricalde, the lighting by Kevin “Blax” Burroughs, and the video design by Salomón Maya. 

Duane McGregor’s set design works well, and Sandra Ruiz’s costumes give the flavor of the time.

“Blue Period” is well named and well presented. If it seems a bit too wordy at times, revel in those well-chosen words and know that they are true to the storyline.

The details

“Blue Period” runs through August 7 at OnStage Playhouse, 291 Third Avenue in Chula Vista.

Showtimes: Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m; Sunday at 2 p.m.

Tickets ($22-25): (619) 422-7787 or onstage playhouse.org

COVID protocol: Masks required inside the theater.