The Credeaux Canvas
Out of Box Theatre
through August 20, 2016

This work by Keith Bunin hit the boards 15 years ago and garnered mixed reviews, albeit seems to have legs and was a daring choice for this local theatre group.

Stories of art forgeries are always around, whether a phony piece in The Louvre, or even in a local museum here. Forgeries and art heists are good reading and playing.

A yet to be discovered artist, Winston (Daniel Carter Brown) is living in a small flat in New York with a gent named Jamie (Matthew Busch) who is a not-so-great real estatenik. Jamie’s dad has passed on, and it seems that he’s been written out of the will. But, his father was an esteemed art dealer and Jamie thought he could perhaps interest one of his posh collectors to be interested in a painting by the under-appreciated Jean-Paul Credeaux.

Winston gets conned into abetting Jamie’s scheme to create a phony Credeaux, in a different genre than that artist’s prior works. So, instead of still life, he goes for the nude. It isn’t too hard to find a model, since he is involved with Amelia (Emily Sams) who is a former waitress and actor-in-waiting sans job.

As the plot proceeds the work is finished. As a former art dealer I can assure you it could never have passed; but the point is that they try, then fail, then seek to go on. Most of us understand that routine.

In Act II the collector, Tess (Mary K. Shaw), shows up at their dump of a flat, which is not exactly where Jamie wanted to display the painting to her. Tess is no fool. She examines the work closely, deduces some private information about the nude in the painting. Of course, the last thing the guys wanted was to have Amelia show up and maybe be identified as the model.

There are relationship problems between Amelia and Jamie, and Winston and Amelia, which help to make things even more difficult. Things go awry and loud confrontations ensue.

The set works easily, and Topher Payne has brought together a perfect cast who give it their all. Topher is best known as our star playwright in Atlanta and he excels at anything he undertakes.

There is frontal nudity, male and female, and some language which might offend some Ms. Prims. And when you may think that the climax of the show has occurred; stay seated for there is a denouement that we may not have seen coming, and may not really add much.

A very well staged production at a venue easy to get to, free parking, and comfortable seating. For times and tickets visit OutOfBoxTheatre.com