The Mentor

Art for arts sake?

After impressing folks and winning rave reviews on its premiere in Bath this spring, Daniel Kehlmann's new play, the first to be staged outside of his native Germany, comes to the London for a West End run with Oscar-winner F.Murray Abraham at the reigns. Art and the artist's legacy are the at the forefront of this comedy about two writers sequestered in the German countryside on a 10,000 euro development retreat.

In the red corner is Benjamin Rubin, who's first and only play is considered a modern classic, making him the toast of the town at just 24. The only problem? He's never recreated the success and now spends his time curating a love for whiskey and reliving past glories.

In the blue corner is upstart up and comer Martin Wegner who's not quite reached the paragon of the literati yet, but has been hailed as 'the voice of his generation' by at least one reviewer.

Thrown together for this expensive development seminar, the two try to find some common ground as egos fly, the master too old and bitter and the pupil too young and convinced of his own talent.

It's not a new premise, but Kelmann, aided in translation by Christopher Hampton (The Philanthropist) paints a compelling and comedic portrait of the writer and his work and the ephemeral nature of success and its ills.