Review: L'ADDITION, Battersea Arts Centre

L’Addition is a show of simple means with two charismatic performers. This is absurdist humour in abundance, but needs a little more range, as what is offered is niche and feels relentless in style. Sometimes this unwavering approach succeeds - other times no. 

A collaboration between Tim Etchells and Bert and Nasi, it forms part of the 40 year celebration of Forced Entertainment; a Sheffield based theatre company founded by Etchells.

Bert and Nasi (Bertrand Lesca and Nasi Voutsas) are responsible for devising the show, and Etchells the text and direction. It opens with an extended explainer and the scene is set; Bert and Nasi are going to play the fool à la Monty Python and use lots of physical theatre along the way. The premise: a restaurant setting with a bad waiter and some time travel chucked in for good measure, all underpinned by Graeme Miller's alarm-like score.

They move very well, executing a combination of precision, tomfoolery and statuesque pose. And there's definitely funny moments, generally when they seemed on the verge of corpsing, which they didn't, or perhaps it was when they evidently connected with the audience.

My two favourite instances weren't even planned. At one point a man in the front row had to exit, which the performers used as fodder to make the crowd laugh, which they did. The second was when another audience member blew their nose; more fodder for a dumbfounded look. 

I saw a different Etchells work last week and he's a fan of repetition. I found the use of it in L'Addition on the trying side, soon monotonous and in the end verging on torturous. Others couldn't get enough. And that's important to acknowledge.

I also noted the performers resorted to shouting when making a point or detecting a period of stagnation - personally, this feels like an onslaught.

This show will be ideal for some punters, and Bert and Nasi know how to hold the stage and work a crowd. In retrospect I'd hoped for a little more Etchells influence throughout; which leaves space for all types of comedy but introduces a more profound, philosophical aspect to the conversation - this I couldn't locate. Consequently I'll stick to searching out Fawlty Towers or blooper videos if I need a hit of slapstick calamity.

L'Addition runs at Battersea Arts Centre until Saturday 16 November. Forced Entertainment's 40th anniversary season concludes at Battersea Arts Centre with If All Else Fails from Tuesday 19 November - Saturday 23 November.

Photo credits: Christophe Raynaud de Lage

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