If you are inclined to see “All The Beauty In The World” – and it would be a worthwhile adventure – be aware that this is not a play by any definition. It is more of a TED Talk. And it is a lovely one. It is lovely because it is a reflection of Patrick Bringley, who is kind, intelligent, and insightful.

The Old Master Wing

For the better part of ten years, he was a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He spent a great deal of time in the Old Master Wing, and one of his favorite parts of the day was just before the Museum opened.

“It’s just me and the Rembrandts. Just me and the Botticellis. Just me and these vibrant phantoms that are also… my companions, hanging around all day, same as me….You can think of the Old Master wing as a kind of village with almost nine thousand painted inhabitants. Eight thousand four hundred and fifty-eight, actually. I have counted.”

Refuge

Not only did he count the paintings, he started his own self-guided course in Art History. Bringley came to the Museum seeking refuge. His brother had died, and Bringley was feeling disconnected from the world’s rhythm. He came to the Museum as a blank slate seeking a quiet that would heal him. He found way more than that.

Full disclosure, I spent 6 years working at the Getty Museum out in L.A. both at the Villa and then up on the hill at the Getty Center. I am no expert, as anyone who worked with me could tell you, but I do know a good talk when I hear one. This is a darn good talk. The directorial contributions of Dominic Dromgoole appear to be minimal. Bringley does not try to be an actor, which is a good move. He is at his most relaxed when speaking directly to an audience member. The rest of the time he focuses on his message, and this is just fine.

A Community of Artwork

Bringley wants us to get to know the Museum workings, which are not limited to the art on the walls. There is an entire village of people working at the Museum. If there were an emergency of any kind – this village would figure out how to fix it.  At the Museum found two communities. One was the community of the artwork surrounding him. The other was the community of the Museum guards, a community of people who had little in common other than the uniforms they wore. Or so Bringley thought.  It was the combination of these two communities that provided a much needed balm. And when Brigley returned after taking Family Leave for the birth of his son, it was the family of guards who welcomed him back and caused his heart to come close to breaking. Go figure.

At the advice of one of the guards, when Bringley got bored with the art, he focused on the visitors. Like the staff, they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and nationalities. Some travel in packs. Others are lone wolves.  Some whip through the hallways as though they were being chased. Some take the long, leisurely way. Every day at his job was littered with mild adventures. New visitors and old Masters – if you are paying attention, the possibilities are endless.

Art and Me

Bringley was paying attention. He gathered up bits of flotsam and Jetsam until he had enough for a book. “All The Beauty In The World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me”, published in 2022. It was a New York Times Best Seller and has been translated into a bazillion languages. It has also taken Bringley’s show all over the world. I say “Good for you, Buck-O” Good for you for taking the time to observe and turning those observations into a gift for the rest of us..

After seeing this show, you will want to make a bee-line to the Met. Look at the people. Look at the art. And most certainly, talk to one of those guards who, very much like the art, has been waiting for you all this time.

And – not for nothin’, but Mr. Bringley should consider a TED talk.

All The Beauty In The World through May 18. At the DR2 Theatre.  Tickets HERE

Darryl Roth Theatre

101 East 15th Street
New York, NY 10003