Whereas the resonance of other renditions of Ursonate can be captured by ear, Kentridge's rendition has to be seen. The artist reads the words from a score, but in a dynamic and engaging way, gesticulating emphatically to draw the viewer's attention to his embodied presence on the stage. A paper screen above the stage displays a constant flow of animated images of the artist's drawings, which are orchestrated to fit the flow of his performance. Taking up the poem with rival vivacity, Ms. Greif engages Mr. Kentridge in an electrifying duet.

More polished than any vintage Dada performance, and richer in freely accessible humor, Kentridge’s Ursonate nonetheless pays homage to its predecessors by demonstrating how helpful the language of absurdism can still be in addressing a world that makes no sense. This multimedia performance piece mixes spoken word, animated video, and improvised music, and is set on a stage of reclaimed wood and a pasted paper screen.

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