After a disparate couple of years which saw the band at their most polarised and fragmented, Madness reunited in an industrial unit in Cricklewood at the beginning of the year, where Suggs, Mark, Chrissy Boy, Mike, Lee and Woody realised that what united them was always bigger than what divided them. Emerging re-energised and reinvigorated with a fresh bounce in their nutty step, the result was their most harmonious recording experience to date. For the first time ever, a brand new album came into the world that they were all completely agreed on. ‘Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie’ is the band’s inaugural foray into self producing, working alongside engineer and mixer Matt Glasbey. The governing principle behind ‘Theatre Of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie’, is: ‘let Madness be Madness’. The result is an album of typically timeless brilliance that also reflects the wonky years of its creation, these 14 songs representing the cream of the bumper crop of tunes the group cooked up, whittled down this punchy, focused set.

Disc 1
1. Prologue: ‘Mr Beckett Sir.’ – Madness
2. Theatre of the Absurd – Madness
3. If I Go Mad – Madness
4. Baby Burglar – Madness
5. Act One: ‘Surrounded On All Sides…’ – Madness
6. C’est La Vie – Madness
7. What On Earth Is It (You Take Me For?) – Madness
8. Hour of Need – Madness
9. Act Two “the Damsel in Distress…’ – Madness
10. Round We Go – Madness
11. Act Three: ‘The Situation Deteriorates…’ – Madness
12. Lockdown and Frack Off – Madness
13. Beginners 101 – Madness
14. Is There Anybody Out There? – Madness
15. The Law According to Dr. Kippah – Madness
16. Epilogue: “and So Ladies and Gentlemen…’ – Madness
17. Run for Your Life – Madness
18. Set Me Free (Let Me Be) – Madness
19. In My Street – Madness
20. Fin.: ‘Ladies and Gentlemen…’ – Madness