You have, no doubt, already clocked that the title of this production from the Belgian performance makers Ontroerend Goed is a palindrome. But it’s only at the halfway point of Are we not drawn onward to new ErA that you come to realise just how completely director/creator Alexander Devriendt has embraced the concept.

Are we not drawn onward to new ErA. Photo © Mirjam Devrient

The performance begins with a simple image of immediate biblical significance: a young tree sits in a pile of earth centre stage. From it hangs a single apple.

As the lights rise, a woman is revealed, lying upstage on her side. She brings herself to standing, awkwardly. Her movements and gestures seem oddly askew.

A man enters. They interact in what seems like a wobbly attempt at seduction. He plucks the apple and offers it to the woman. She takes a bite. So far, so biblical (kinda) – until another man rolls into the space from under the rear curtain holding the string of a helium balloon.

More people enter the space, all exhibiting peculiar gaits and movements. One of the actors energetically sets about the tree,...