West End’s Victor Lirio is back at the helm for Repertory Philippines’ 88th season. Following his directorial debut in REP’s previous season, Lirio directs Yasmina Reza’s Olivier- and Tony Award-winning comedy Art, in a translation by Christopher Hampton. Lirio previously directed REP’s critically acclaimed production of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal, which received several Gawad Buhay citations, including Outstanding Production and Direction.
Lirio was the resident director of Dr. Semmelweis by Stephen Brown at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End, starring Oscar winner Mark Rylance. Trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art as a classical actor, Lirio holds a master’s degree in drama directing from the Bristol Old Vic.
West End’s Victor Lirio is back to direct for Repertory Philippines after the success of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal last season. (SHARED PHOTO)
The comedy explores themes of art and friendship through three longtime friends — Serge, Marc and Yvan. Serge, indulging his taste for modern art, purchases a large, expensive, entirely white painting. Marc is appalled, and their relationship begins to fray due to their differing views on what constitutes art. Caught in the middle, Yvan attempts to mediate and appease them both.
REP’s latest production is composed of creatives based in New York, London and Manila. The international cast includes London-based British Filipino actor Martin Sarreal, who appeared as Lord Barnell in Season 3 of the hit Netflix series Bridgerton; award-winning Manila-based actor Brian Sy, recently seen in The Sandbox Collective’s Tiny Beautiful Thingsand currently portraying Cassio in Company of Actors in Streamlined Theatre PH’s Othello; and British stage, film and television actor Freddy Sawyer, a Bristol Old Vic alum who appeared in the Apple TV series Trying.
Art marks Sarreal’s REP debut. He has starred in numerous productions across stage, television and film, including the world premiere of the Elton John and Jake Shears musical Tammy Faye at the Almeida Theatre in London. Sy, a Gawad Buhay awardee, earned acclaim for his portrayal of Aufidius in Tanghalang Pilipino’s Coriolano, which also garnered him an Aliw Award nomination for Best Featured Actor. He has performed in international theater festivals in Spain, Taiwan, Malaysia, Belarus, Vietnam and China. Sawyer, a London-based actor and writer, reunites with Lirio after playing Davis in Red Light Winter by Adam Rapp at London’s Turbine Theatre in 2021. His short film Twenty — co-written with director Jason Hogan — was screened at several international film festivals and won more than 14 awards.
The creative and production teams for Art include Miguel Urbino (scenic and costume design), Miriam Crowe (lighting design), Fabian Obispo (original music and sound design), Maisie Carter (fight director), Zoe Littleton (voice coach), Uriel Villar (assistant director), Julia Pacificador (associate scenic designer), Patricia Gregorio (production manager) and Jayvee Carreon (production stage manager).
The production opens on June 13 and runs through June 21. Regular performances are scheduled Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays at 3:30 p.m., at REP’s newly inaugurated REP Eastwood Theater in Quezon City.
