What’s so funny about an E-shaped pie?
That’s one of the questions posed in the Fredericksburg Theatre Ensemble’s latest production of Steve Martin’s “Picasso at the Lapin Agile,” currently running at the Allstate Community Theater in downtown Fredericksburg.
IF YOU GO
Picasso at the Lapin Agile runs thru May 31, 8 p.m. FSa, 2 p.m. Su, at Allstate Community Theater, 810 Caroline St., Fxbg, $26.59, get tickets here
Written by the legendary writer-actor-comedian in 1993, the play explores the interplay between art and science through a hypothetical conversation between artist Pablo Picasso and physicist Albert Einstein at a Paris bar in 1904.
Their discussions, portrayed here by Abdel Hamid Shehata and Cam Hovey respectively, become a spirited debate about creativity, innovation, and the quest for meaning in the modern world, serving as the foundation for some of their most famous works, such as Picasso’s “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” and Einstein’s theory of relativity.
Rounding out the cast are the bartender Freddy and his wife Germaine (played by Alex Newton and Kim Leone), a customer named Gaston (Pedro Echevarria) dealing with the onset of his senior years, an art dealer named Sagot (David Sobyra), a fast talking salesman named Schmendiman (Matthew Wolski), a time-traveling visitor from Memphis wearing blue suede shoes called The Visitor (Jonathan Price) and newcomer Lily Close, playing three roles (Susanne, the Countess and an admirer).
Pedro Echevarria is Gaston in the Fredericksburg Theatre Ensemble’s “Picasso at the Lapin Agile”. Photo by Jeff Kearney.
The performances deftly convey the type of absurdist comedy that has been Martin’s forte since the 1970s.
This includes jokes based on wordplay, awkwardness, referential commentary and sharp wit — which had the crowd laughing as they witnessed the pair’s revolutionary ideas take shape.
While one man champions the science of art and the other the art of science, both have a goal of changing the world for the better as they enter the 20th century.
Director Joel McCormick has experience with “Picasso” after performing in a previous production. He said he hopes that when people come to see the play, they’ll see a limitless, rich world of ideas.
“We do it (art) because it speaks to us,” McCormick said. “But science also helps us to understand the world. You come to understand that these things are not in conflict; these are things that almost compliment each other.”
This dichotomy can also be seen in how actors Shehata and Hovey approached their roles as Picasso and Einstein. Hovey watched a documentary about the physicist and immersed himself in the man’s history. Shehata took a different route, amplifying Picasso’s characteristics rather than trying to embody the character himself.
Lily Close as Susanne and Cam Hovey as Einstein in FTE’s “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” Thursday May 21, 2026. Photo by Jeff Kearney.
“Picasso” is Close’s debut with FTE, and she makes it while playing three roles at different points in the show.
Close was previously stage manager with Stage Door Productions for their production of “Wait Until Dark.” The organizations share the Allstate Theater space.
For Close, the opportunity of acting in a Martin play was too good to pass up. The actress name-checks “Cheaper By The Dozen” and “Little Shop of Horrors” as her favorite examples of Martin’s comedic stylings.
“It was great,” Close said of the role trifecta. “It was thrilling. A little challenging but also fun. I knew this was going to be hard but if I was going to jump back into theater I may as well jump into the deep end.”
The actress was also taken by the love and camaraderie shown by the characters in the play. For Close, this also came together for the players early in the rehearsal and seeing all involved clicking together. This onstage camaraderie, Close said, helped ease her into the group and relieved her nervousness by allowing her to enjoy the play’s humor.
Hovey and Shehata agree with Close; the FTE community offers more than just the chance to perform: the cast and crew want to make their mark on the audience and the world.
“At the end of the day we’re so much more than just the theater,” Hovey said. “We have this group of friendships and bonds that have been formed. For me, joining FTE was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, decisions I’ve ever made because the community that is in this place is second to none and is very welcoming to new people.”
