The Curve by Tankred Dorst Not The Tempest, but interesting
The Curve is not as absurd as you can get, after all, there are no rhinoceros roaming the streets. Nevertheless, the author had been inspired by Eugene Ionesco and the Curve does not make all that much sense. Let us look at the plot. The play starts with two brothers, Anton and Rudolph arguing near the Curve: - The weather will be nice and there would be some wind near the mountains - Let me be with your weather reports鈥� Anton is the educated brother and he has written 24 petitions to the authorities regarding the Curve, where 24 people have died. Rudolph is good with cars and the way that the two brothers are making money is by fixing the vehicles that get damaged in accidents at the aforementioned Curve. There is a new accident and the two brothers go the site where they find a dead man. They move him and look for his papers: - This is the man who was supposed to fix the problem!! The director of the department where the petitions had been sent was on an inspection when he fell victim to the very problem that had been reported. - The irony of fate! Isn鈥檛 it!? We enter new realms of absurd and dark humor when Anton starts making an epitaph for the resurrected victim. In the first place the brothers had thought the dignitary dead, but when he placed a leaf on his mouth, Anton discovers that he is alive. When they have a talk, some funny and horrible aspects come to light: - What do you do? - I write speeches - What kind of speeches? - Speeches for funerals鈥� - How do you make money? - My brother works - Where? - Look, he is working at your car- he knows how to repair any model - Let me repay you for your effort - Well鈥� - How much? - 4,000 - That much?! - I have an offer for 4,500 from the trader who knows how much anything goes for鈥� This is not the exact dialogue, it is only the adapted version that I find in my memory. The dialogue moves on to the man who would replace the director: - I have a second in command - He will take your place - He is no good They talk about the changes that need to be made and the signs to be added on the road, where the trouble is that kids take the warnings down to play with them鈥r there is more malefic explanation? All this talk about roads has reminded me of the problem my country has with roads. Like in the play, people in charge with transport are not good. Roads mean money and corruption and very little has been done. In the play, there is a high price to pay and I will not reveal it. However, I will say that the play descends into a weird and horrifying territory, combining comedy with tragedy. It is not Macbeth, but it was interesting.