I just went to see “The Coming Storm” at the Festival d’Avignon. In an interesting open setup, bits and pieces of stories are performed by the ensemble who continually interrupt each other. While one actor is telling a story the others perform variety like diversions using props, music and each other.
The stories initially do carry some novelty and absurdity and are performed adequately. After a while unfortunately they become repetitious and there isn’t a lot funny about them (though the easily excitable French audience seemed to disagree). Half an hour before the end I concluded that this was the tritest thing I’d seen on stage in years without any hope for salvation. That was €22 and an hour of free time wasted.
