Journey to the End of the Night

Journey to the End of the Night?I could not stop blinking after leaving the Gene Frankel Theater on Sunday. But my eyes were not the only thing having trouble adjusting. After watching Journey to the End of the Night, the stunning one-man show produced by The Flying Machine, it was not simply the dark and gloomy performance that required an adjustment from. The show, a skillfully written and dexterously performed one-man show tells the story of the life and work of Louis-Ferdinand Céline.Celine, a 20th century author, is perhaps the best known for his book, Journey to the End of the Night, which was adapted for this stage production. Once heralded as a brilliant writer, Celine then became known for anti-Semetic beliefs during World War II was subsequently maligned and ostracized. Performed by Richard Crawford, the show is narrated by a man who at first appears to be a critic of Celine and frequently shifts into the story of the book, in which the narrator's name is Bardamu.The anonymous man sits behind his desk – stacked with antique books, dimly-lit lamps and a teacup filled with sherry – discussing his life, his works and his future (or lack thereof). The book's story touches upon the narrator's time in the war, as a doctor, and as a writer, as well as his frequent encounters with Robinson, his opposite and antihero whom he repeatedly encounters throughout his life.Dexterously performed by Crawford, the narrator and Bardamu are both fascinating creatures – arrogant, sarcastic, selfish and lazy. Bardamu views life from a detached, dispassionate place where it seems nothing – not even witnessing a death – can faze him. He sees nothing wrong with abandoning Robinson in the jungle when the two had planned their escape together, nor does he possess any qualms about sleeping with Robinson's fiancé, speaking of both in a tone that is half-mocking, half-jovial.The times the narrator sounds truly impassioned are when he discusses Celine's work – or the wrongs that are held against him due to his work. He is furious that Celine has been reviled by the academic community when other writers that he claims anti-Semites – T.S. Elliot, for example – are taught in the classrooms of colleges.The book, however, is the one thing he claims he does not want to discuss. He coyly refuses to talk about Celine's most well-known work, quickly acquesing moments later – but only for a minute. It is what he is famous for, isn't it? It's why we came to hear him talk?This show does not conclude much – if anything – for the audience. Is Celine a good man or a victim of bad publicity? Does he deserve to be ostracized or should he instead be revered? This journey into one man's mind and vanity is a fascinating, compelling one that many should make. Although the transition between the dark indoors to the bright outside may be a harsh one, it is worth the trip.