Ten Unknowns

Ten Unknowns, John Robin Baitz’s latest work, is an explosive drama about art – and what happens when it becomes commerce. Malcolm Raphelson is a painter who was at the top of the art world – until the critical vogue turned from realism to abstract expressionist work. He has been in self-imposed exile in Mexico for decades, until dealer Trevor Fabricant decides it’s time for a retrospective. Trevor sends Judd, a talented and tormented young painter, to serve as Malcolm’s assistant and unofficial minder. When they are joined by a beautiful young student, their tense equilibrium is upset. With seemingly spontaneous dialogue and a world portrayed with its many conflicts, Ten Unknowns is an important contemporary work about modern America, bringing into question its morals and sensibilities.