Fando
and Lis (Fando et Lis) — 1955 by Fernando
Arrabal: Type of Work
Fando
and Lis (Fando et Lis), written by Fernando Arrabal in
1955, is a one-act play belonging to the Theatre of the Absurd.
It is an experimental and unconventional dramatic work in which the events do
not follow the orderly structure normally associated with traditional drama.
The play combines elements of tragedy, grotesque comedy, surrealism, fantasy,
and dark humour.
The
play is essentially a tragic journey centred on Fando and Lis, who
travel toward the mysterious city of Tar. Their journey is presented through
fragmented episodes, repeated conversations, memories, strange encounters, and
sudden changes in mood. Instead of developing through a straightforward
sequence of events, the action often moves in circles, creating a sense of
uncertainty and repetition.
As a
work of the Theatre of the Absurd, Fando and Lis does not depend upon a
conventional plot with a clear beginning, development, climax, and resolution.
The characters frequently engage in conversations that seem disconnected or
repetitive, while their actions can appear irrational and disturbing. The mysterious
destination of Tar remains largely unattainable, and the journey itself becomes
more important than any conventional achievement.
The
play also has strong grotesque and tragicomic qualities. Moments of
tenderness between Fando and Lis can suddenly become moments of cruelty, while
apparently comic situations may contain an underlying sense of pain and
despair. Arrabal deliberately places innocence, violence, humour, fear, love,
and death close together.
The
work can also be described as surrealistic and symbolic in its dramatic
presentation. The journey, the cart, the mysterious city of Tar, the fragmented
memories, and the unusual encounters contribute to an atmosphere that resembles
a disturbing dream. The play does not always explain these elements in a conventional
manner, allowing them to remain mysterious.
In
terms of dramatic form, Fando and Lis is therefore an experimental
absurdist play with tragic, grotesque, surreal, and poetic elements. It
rejects many traditional conventions of plot and characterization and presents
instead a strange journey in which ordinary reality and dreamlike experiences
continually overlap. Through this unusual form, Arrabal creates a theatrical
world that is both disturbing and strangely comic, making Fando and Lis
an important early work associated with the Theatre of the Absurd.
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