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Picasso at the Lapin Agile and Other Plays

steve martin

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Steve Martin is one of America's most treasured actors, having appeared in some of the most popular moves of our time. He is also an accomplished screenwriter who has in the past few years turned his hand to writing plays. The results, collected here, hilariously explore serious questions of love, happiness and the meaning of life; they are rich with equal parts of pain and slapstick humour, torment and wit.

150 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,1994

This edition

Format
150 pages, Paperback
Published
August 7, 1997 by Grove Press
ISBN
9780802135230
ASIN
0802135234
Language
English

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About the author

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steve martin

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Stephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician, and composer. He was raised in Southern California in a Baptist family, where his early influences were working at Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm and working magic and comedy acts at these and other smaller venues in the area. His ascent to fame picked up when he became a writer for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, and later became a frequent guest on the Tonight Show.

In the 1970s, Martin performed his offbeat, absurdist comedy routines before packed houses on national tours. In the 1980s, having branched away from stand-up comedy, he became a successful actor, playwright, and juggler, and eventually earned Emmy, Grammy, and American Comedy awards.

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Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
33(33%)
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35(35%)
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32(32%)
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100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
OPGames
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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I have a deep affection for all the plays encompassed within this book. However, my absolute favorite is Picasso. It was during the process of doing makeup and handling the backstage affairs for a production of this play that lasted for a couple of weeks that I truly fell in love with it. I am well aware that perhaps I am intermingling my wonderful memories of working on that particular play with the script itself. Nevertheless, it remains an extremely hilarious and thought-provoking piece. The comical elements within it never fail to bring a smile to my face, while the thought-provoking aspects make me ponder and reflect. It is a play that has left a lasting impression on me and continues to be a source of great enjoyment.

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Ph0esz
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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I could dream it forever and still not do it. But when the time arrives for it to be accomplished, God, I long to be prepared for it, to be ready for that moment of convergence between the thing done and the act of doing it, between the thing to be created and its creator. At that instant, I am speaking on behalf of everyone; I am dreaming for the billions yet to come; I am taking on the part of us that cannot be fathomed by God, and allowing it to bleed from the wrist onto the canvas. And it can only be made because I have experienced these emotions: my lust, my greed, my hatred, my happiness. So this is what it's like.


Picasso at the Lapin Agile ~~ Steve Martin


I have a certain affinity for Picasso at the Lapin Agile, yet I don't hold an intense love for it. This is partly due to the fact that I've never witnessed a truly outstanding production of it. Most directors seem to misinterpret the source material. They view this as an edgy play by that wild and crazy guy who had a top 10 hit with King Tut. They conveniently forget that the writer Steve Martin is not the same as the comedian Steve Martin. I often wonder what this concept could have evolved into in the hands of Woody Allen.


Alas, not all the elements here mesh seamlessly. Take the character of Albert Einstein for example. Here, he devolves into a parody of himself. And let's not overlook Picasso. For a man who spent his entire life boasting about his genius to the world, he comes across as uninteresting and one-dimensional, extremely flat.


At the Lapin Agile is undeniably engaging, but it never quite discovers its true voice. Much of what could have been profound and brilliant conversations often get lost beneath the精心crafted dialogue and increasingly surreal events. Martin sets out to explore the nature of genius and creativity, but this exploration becomes muddled by the time a time-traveling Elvis makes an appearance, complete with \n  blue suede shoes\n.


At the Lapin Agile is an undeniably well-written and humorous play. The script even manages to make me laugh out loud when I'm reading it. Sadly, the one-sided caricatures of Picasso and Einstein, along with dialogue filled with references that only the over 50 crowd would understand, prevent this from being a great play rather than just a good one.


In the end, At the Lapin Agile is a play where the spokes lack a hub to connect them. Perhaps the script is overly self-aware. I would have expected this script to take risks and push boundaries. The surreal moments seem rather forced, as if they were thrown in to salvage a floundering playwright who isn't entirely certain where to take his script. At the Lapin Agile is an okay script. But I had such high expectations from Steve Martin, and unfortunately, it falls short of being truly remarkable.
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TheRawFish
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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This was an extremely interesting play!

I indeed had to read it for class, yet that didn't subtract from the pleasure of reading it.

I adored how the plot contained hints of foreshadowing, which added an element of mystery and anticipation.

Moreover, the characters became increasingly more developed as the play progressed. Their personalities and motives became clearer, making them more engaging and relatable.

There were some suggestive themes present, but this is theatre after all, and it's all about expression. Theatre allows for a wide range of ideas and emotions to be explored, and these themes contributed to the overall depth and complexity of the play.

Overall, it was a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
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DarthJudge
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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I really enjoyed reading this.

However, I have to admit that I think I do not truly "get" plays.

I'm certain that I read this purely on a superficial level.

This means that I didn't fully engage with the text and understand all the nuances and subtleties that it might have had.

As a result, I feel that I did not appreciate it as I should have.

I think I need to approach plays with a more open and inquisitive mind, and try to understand the context and the intentions of the playwright.

Maybe then I will be able to get more out of reading plays and truly appreciate their beauty and complexity.
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DanteMustDie8907
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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Some genuine insights are peppered in with the laughs.

It wouldn't necessarily be something that I would choose to produce. However, the roles of Einstein and Picasso would be great to play.

Among the other plays, "Wasp" is probably the most interesting.

Although "Patter for the Floating Lady" features some interesting monologues.

This description gives us a glimpse into the various plays and the thoughts and preferences of the person sharing these views.

The mention of genuine insights along with the humorous elements shows that there is more depth to these plays than just entertainment.

The idea of playing the roles of Einstein and Picasso adds an element of excitement and challenge.

"Wasp" being considered the most interesting among the others piques our curiosity to know more about this particular play.

And the interesting monologues in "Patter for the Floating Lady" also make it a play worth considering.

Overall, this short passage provides a concise yet engaging overview of the plays and the perspectives of the individual.
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Inferno792
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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I truly relished the book.

It is evident that Steve Martin possesses a profound and solid knowledge of painting. His understanding and insights into the world of art are truly remarkable.

I was especially captivated by the quote uttered by Picasso in the play, "I want to leave the world littered with beauty." What an incredibly noble and inspiring goal that is!

It makes one think about the power of art to bring beauty and inspiration into our lives.

Steve Martin's exploration of this theme in the book is both thought-provoking and engaging.

It has made me view art in a whole new light and has deepened my appreciation for the beauty that it can create.

The book is not only a great read for art enthusiasts but also for anyone who is interested in exploring the deeper meaning and purpose of art in our lives.
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JustZer01
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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I have an intense love for Steve Martin's writing. His fiction is truly something that I adore. However, when it comes to plays as a storytelling format, perhaps I just don't quite understand them.

Why do plays have to be so peculiarly quirky?

Seriously, can anyone provide an answer to this question for me? It seems that there are two main types of plays. On one hand, there are those that tell a story about real life, and I have a great appreciation for these. They draw me in and make me feel connected to the characters and their experiences. On the other hand, there are those plays that venture into this strange, overly artsy-fartsy territory. In these plays, the characters often seem to be talking to themselves, and the stage and props are manipulated in such a way that they become metaphors of some sort. And quite frankly, I just don't get it. I struggle to understand the deeper meaning and significance behind these elements.

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QueenRagdoll
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 14,2025
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Picasso at the Lapin Agile came to Seattle when I was in high school. It was such an exciting event. However, I faced a big problem. I couldn't find anyone to drive me up to see it. At that time, I was really disappointed. I had been looking forward to seeing this fantastic play come to life. But due to the lack of transportation, I missed this opportunity.


Even now, I'm still bitter that I haven't seen it. It's like a regret that lingers in my heart. I often think about what it would have been like if I could have seen that play. Maybe it would have had a profound impact on my perception of art and theater.


Every time I hear about Picasso at the Lapin Agile, that sense of bitterness resurfaces. I know that I missed out on something truly special. But I also hope that one day, I will have another chance to experience this amazing play and make up for that lost opportunity.

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