Princeton French Theater Festival - L'Addition by Tim Etchells

Seuls en Scène 2024 presents L’Addition by Tim Etchells

Two performers come onstage to attempt to play a scene, or rather “the scene”: a customer orders a drink from a waiter. And then things go awry. Played again and again, alternating nonstop dialogue with absolute silence, “the scene” starts spinning out of control. Nightmarish spiral or grotesque farce? Roles and relationships of power flip back and forth, to the point that we no longer know who’s the victim and who’s the bully, who’s serving and who’s being served. Backstage, British director and Forced Entertainment artistic director Tim Etchells orchestrate a hilarious and explosive performance, brilliantly executed by duo Bert and Nasi. Together, the three of them play with the mechanisms of theater as much as with power relationships—but in the end, someone must pay the bill. With its repetitions and reversals, moments of rehearsed improvisation, precise writing, and mastery of the slapstick, the story takes us on a wild ride—changing, playful, and fierce. Constantly navigating between registers and genres, it opens onto an infinite variety of possibilities, reflected in the many venues this traveling show has visited.

Show performed in French with English supertitles. Duration: 1 hour, 10 minutes.

Content Advisory: Appropriate for ages 12 and up. The production contains loud noises, swearing in French, and some flashing lights (not as fast as strobing).

Admission: Performances are free and open to the public; advance tickets required.

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