Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – MALAISE DANS LA CIVILISATION loosely conjures human nature via whimsical, physical meta-theatrical clowning

• By drediman
• March 24, 2025
• No Comments

This past weekend at the Perelman Performing Arts Center, I had the opportunity to catch one of the final performances of Alix Dufrense and Étienne Lepage’s Malaise Dans La Civilisation. The French Canadian production arrived in New York from Montréal, where the company that created this decidedly experimental theater piece is based (in fact, the showings alternate between English and French (the latter augmented with projected English translations). The premise is simple but strangely intriguing: “Four tourists walk into a theater with no regard for rules or decorum …” From there, we’re off.

The work is a fascinating hybrid, presenting a seamless combination of physical theater, clowning, and absurdist theater traditions — but at a far less heightened state that I’m usually accustomed to. Indeed, the piece finds its bearings in naturalism; only later does the physicality of it all arise, largely stemming from organic circumstances and interactions amongst the characters. There’s also an improvisational quality that pervades the piece, contributing to Malaise Dans La Civilisation occasional aimlessness, which may frustrate some viewers looking for a little more shape and concrete narrative in their theatrical experiences. But fear not, emerging from the seemingly haphazard shenanigans of the “four tourists” is a playful meditation on human nature, albeit from the perspective of these hapless characters. It’s as if aliens were inserted into human bodies, and left to decipher how to make sense of our embedded thought processes, in addition to testing the limits of their newfound physical bodies.

Thankfully, as directed by Dufrense, the hourlong exercise unfolds with a sense of whimsy (at times breaking the fourth wall) that invites audience engagement. With its team-based meta-theatrical and site-specific play, Malaise Dans La Civilisation looks and feels like a devised piece of theater, but distinguishes itself with some rather risk-taking daredevil antics had me worrying for the performers’ safety. Ultimately, I took away more from its eventual entertainment factor — the madcap final sequence and the visual coup that caps it off reminded me of the long-running hit The Play That Goes Wrong (no spoilers here!) — than I did from the profundity of its loose existential musings.

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MALAISE DANS LA CIVILISATION
Off-Broadway, Play
Perelman Performing Arts Center
1 hour (without intermission)
Closed