L’Addition begins with a foreword; the two actors coming out, lights up, to give us some information. The bit is reminiscent of the preambles ahead of performances, efforts to provide warnings to audiences. While it pokes fun at these things, at the same time it values and respects them, the tension between honouring the audience, challenging them, and respecting them at the forefront.
We’re asked to forget the preamble, but of course are unable as the “performance” begins. Cyclical and slapstick in nature, it repeats and repeats, weaving around, never quite repeating in the same way and yet clearly the same. On the eve of the US election, it felt haunting to watch people repeating and repeating and never learning from their mistakes.
What are we doing when we warn our audiences into oblivion? And what are we doing when we see a pattern, even say we want to break it, but are wholly unable? Absurdism feels so relevant in these times. I hear there is Rhinoceros outside…
Bert and Nasi are exceptional performers in their ability to fill the space, hold the tension, without a word. They play off one another beautifully, feeling improvised when of course we know it is wildly well rehearsed. The physical and textual choreography tripping beautifully over one another as if it is by mistake.