“There is no abstract art, you always have to begin with something.” Pablo Picasso

Abstractly speaking, Herbert Siguenza is Pablo Picasso. He fully embodies the man on stage.  The opening scene finds Siguenza, writer, artist in his own right, actor and ‘Picasso’ in his bathtub. The audience has no doubt that the tan, white haired, stocky man waxing metaphysically from his bath, is indeed the man known simply as Picasso.

If you’re waffling on taking in this production at the DCPA don’t over think it, just go. Especially if you love art, Picasso, impressionism, cubism, color, and an hour and a half inside the head and studio of the artist everyone knows and loves.

A Weekend with  Pablo Picasso is truly enjoyable. Siguenza is superb as the fiesty, outspoken, genius artist. I learned a few things about Picasso I didn’t know, such as his passion for social issues spoken within the context of his life. The labor of love, by Siguenza, spans three days in Picasso’s studio in Southern France as he works non-stop to finish six commissioned works by Monday. Intuitively, Siguenza created the intimate weekend by involving the audience.  Throughout the 90 minute soliloquy the artist is talking to his audience, distance relatives who have dropped in unexpectedly. He doesn’t have the time or energy to ban them from his studio and in time welcomes the company as he reveals much of his life and personality on stage.

You’ll hear bits and pieces of Picasso’s life, his children, wives, lovers, his eating habits, revealing many traits everyone knows like writing checks for everything no matter how small the amount because, no one ever cashes them.  The evening conversation is intertwined with his original quotes formulated as if for the first time. It’s all very creative and personal acted out in an original studio set you would want Picasso to have.

Jeff Wenzel, from Art Students League of Denver, painting in theatre before play opened.

Plays The Ricketson Theatre through April 28, 2013. http://www.denvercenter.org. Box office 303-893-4100.