Paul Bettany in The Collaboration (c) Marc Brenner
If you’ve ever imagined what the interactions of two art titans are like, you’re in good company. The Young Vic’s latest production, The Collaboration, takes audiences back to 1980s Manhattan to find out.
Multi-award-winning actor Paul Bettany (The Avengers, WandaVision, A Very British Scandal) dons an iconic white wig and steps into the shoes of Andy Warhol for his first theatrical performance in 20 years, while two-time Tony Award nominee Jeremy Pope (Hollywood, Choir Boy, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations) joins him onstage as Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Directed by Young Vic artistic director Kwame Kwei-Armah, Anthony McCarten’s drama meets fifty-six-year-old Warhol as his star is falling and Jean-Michel Basquiat when he’s taking the art world by storm and his works are starting to achieve record prices. As the production’s name suggests, they agree to collaborate on a new exhibition, after being reluctantly introduced by art dealer Bruno Bischofberger. The result is anticipated to be the ‘greatest exhibition in the history of modern art’.
Sofia Barclay and Alec Newman complete the cast and Anna Fleischle is in charge of set and costume design.
The Collaboration is at the Young Vic, London until 2 April. It’s a fascinating take on the iconic odd couple and the impact they had on each other and each other’s art.