Continuing on Forced Entertainment’s 40th anniversary L’Addition opened 5 November to a warm reception from the whole of the audience at Battersea Arts Centre.

The surreal piece, directed by Tim Etchells, follows two performers stuck in a loop 0f a repeating
scene to a frenzied hilarity. The comic Duo Bert & Nasi play the scene repeatedly, alternating roles as
waiter and customer in a gambit that is beautifully over-explained for comic effect.

Repetition is the key the humour here, that and the intense likability of our two performers. Both
actors are lovable and invite us to engage and watch them with a childish sense of wonderment. In
lesser performers hands the piece could feel frustrating and stagnant but instead it feels
exceptionally comic, silly and brave in equal measure.

The whole piece is expertly crafted and enjoys teetering on the edge of audience expectations. Equal
parts comic silence and frenzied mess, I get the feeling this has been precision engineered. Buoffon
and clown influence is palpable. The show is a great example of how far you can push the same gag
by finding witty ways to keep it a new. Special mention has to be given the marvellous deadpan
delivery of Nasi Voustas whose side eye, and occasional Basil Fawlty outbursts are expertly
delivered. Bertrand Lesca is an energetic force on the stage.

In short this is a very funny show. Etchell’s particular style marries perfectly with the comic duo and
the result is a ridiculous 70 minute riff on a 30 second scene!

L’Addition plays at the 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.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️