nytheatre.com review
Martin Denton · November 4, 2005

The Heist Project begins with the audience being ushered into a large open room—a portion, we're told, of Isabella Stewart Gardner's museum. Though Mrs. Gardner died in 1924, she's here with us now, to guide us through our tour of some of her treasured art objects. Following her around the space—abetted by some friendly lights that helpfully shine brightly on our next destination—we encounter some paintings: a few Rembrandts, a Vermeer, a Manet, some Degas, and a Shang Dynasty ku (or beaker) over 2,000 years old.

What's particularly distinctive about these artworks is that they are represented here by original, new works of art—installations, really—that comment on or interpret the originals (see the information above this review for the names of the artists who contributed these pieces); and incorporated within each of these installations, the subjects of the paintings come to life, offering their takes on the works they're contained in: on the nature of ephemera and memory, and of art itself.

So Rembrandt's A Lady and a Gentleman in Black are seen squabbling about a theatrical event that they've been collaborating on; the anxious student in Vermeer's The Concert frets about being able to transcend performance to create art just for herself; and a writer experiencing a metaphorical Storm on the Sea of Galilee (after Rembrandt's painting, here) tries to work through being blocked. In one of my favorite sequences, a distracted gentleman rises from bed pondering the whereabouts of Degas's Program for an artistic soiree, noting—profoundly, I thought—that just such a souvenir is the only tangible evidence we have of a performance, when all is said and done: the only real "proof" that we were actually there to witness it. And in another choice vignette, Rembrandt's matchbook-sized Self Portrait argues with its creator about life, art, and the universe.

The Chinese ku even says a few words, about how under-appreciated it usually feels. (Paintings get all the attention, it tells us.)

After our journey through Mrs. Gardner's collection is complete, we are sent to a second area, where we see a film about the demise of a Jersey City landmark, 111 First Street, a haven for contemporary artists of all stripes, now torn down to make way for city redevelopment. Again, the question of what lingers in memory when art is experienced—and created—comes to the fore.

Finally, the evening wraps up with a re-enactment—extremely well-staged by the Project's director, Jack Halpin—of the theft of the art objects we've just spent time with. This actually happened, in 1990; it remains an unsolved mystery. (More here.)

The linkage is clear: whoever stole Mrs. Gardner's treasures is as culpable, in terms of denying future generations the pleasures and joys and opportunities that all great art provides, as the grinch who stole 111 First Street.

The Heist Project is breathtakingly ambitious and splendidly inventive. All of the artists involved—the visual artists who created and designed the installations; the writers; the actors; the filmmakers—are to be commended for engaging our imagination and intellect with such acuity. Kudos to the young New Jersey theatre company Art House Productions and its Producing Artistic Director Christine Goodman for dreaming this up and executing it so excitingly.

I will offer one piece of constructive commentary, which is that I would have liked to be able to spend more time with the art installations on my own, at my own pace, as my random curiosity led me around the "gallery"—as it stands, it's hard to get close enough to each of the installations and really study them in detail. (This would probably require (a) more physical room, and (b) actors to continuously perform their roles several times during the evening; I'm not sure how feasible this idea is, but it might be interesting to try out in any future incarnation of this piece.)

That thought notwithstanding, The Heist Project is a spectacular example of theatrical invention. It augurs well for Art House, whose future work I will eagerly await. It's just sad that, after this cycle of performances is over, this exquisite and genuinely innovative piece of theatre will fade, as its subjects would be the first to remind us, into the fleeting wisp of memory.

Wander into the story of stolen works of art

'The Heist Project' speaks to protect the art world from thievery
Ahn Behrens ·
November 10, 2005

How often is art stolen from the public? Let me count the ways - or better yet, allow me to recommend "The Heist Project," a new multimedia play by Art House Productions at Victory Hall Cultural Center in Jersey City through Nov. 19.

Forget everything you know about conventional theatre including the outdated idea that quality productions only happen in Manhattan. Directed by Jack Halpin and created by Christine Goodman, "The Heist Project" features topnotch performances, writing and visual arts by some of Jersey City's most talented artists.

Ripped from the headlines it draws powerful parallels between two sad, but true stories - the largest unsolved art theft in American history at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and the displacement of more than 150 artists who lived and worked at 111 First St. right in our city.

Like a living, breathing art exhibition "The Heist Project," which features music by David Amram, is a thoroughly engaging, interactive experience that takes you on a journey into the mind of the artist. Your tour guide for the evening is Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840-1924) played with authority by Marcella Smith, whose flawless performance contains all the charm, infamy and humor this important patron of the arts possessed.

You'll visit the museum she built, modeled after a 15th century Venetian palazzo, which opened to the public in 1903 to share her world-class art collection. You will find out that she personally arranged each and every object - mixing furniture, textiles and decorative arts from different cultures and time periods with paintings and sculptures by European masters, stipulating in her wilthat nothing in the museum could ever change.

Thirteen works of art, valued at $500 million, are featured in the play. Out of these works personal stories are spun by artists in various disciplines including a singer (Emily Beatty) who stands beside Vermeer's "The Concert" (1660) and doubts her capabilities; a writer (Shanti Wesley) who compares writing to Rembrandt's "The Storm of the Sea of Galilee" (1633) and a painter (Kevin Janaway) who pleads with the audience to Google Manet's "Chez Tortoni" (1878-1880) to understand its fate. On the night of March 18, 1990 thieves broke in the museum and stole these artworks, leaving blank walls where they once hung.

"If there is no one left to remember," a dancer pleads with his partner in another scenario, "did it ever happen?"

"The Heist Project" is about memory and documentation. Check out the labels on the reproduction of these famous artworks, they reveal extraordinary information. You will note, for example, Rembrandt's "Self-Portrait" (1634) is not a print: It's an interpretation by Jersey City artist Nyugen Smith, and discover Joe Del Priore wrote portions of Rembrandt's (Frederick Backus) videotaped dialogue. Other standouts include the spoken word performance by Kathryn Pfau, Nadia Gan and Kathleen Brown whose voices overlap as they stand in awe before Degas's "Le Sortie de Pesage."

What does this have to do with 111 First St.? Everything. You'll see artwork by Bex Goyette, Norm Francoeur, Maggie Ens and Ed Fausty - who lived and worked in the historic building and bare witness to the second act, which features a powerful film about this legendary grass-roots art community with poignant interviews with art stars like Kelly Darr, Bill Rybak and Bill Rodwell.

"The Heist Project" ends on a truly innovative note putting the audience on stage and the actors in the audience. You've got to go to believe it! But more importantly this must-see play is part of a much bigger picture. It's about what's happening to the arts in America. Art thieves come in many guises. Stealing art from the public is criminal. It must be stopped. "The Heist Project" is a good start.

Got a great escape? E-mail me: ahn.behrens@comcast.net