The format of this live art show can best be described as a travelogue about Dylan Tighe's journey on the Trans-Mongolian express from Beijing to Moscow. Staged in a small private cinema space, he sits at a desk in front of the screen, using a live camcorder feed to show photos he took and various documents from the trip, such as passports and train tickets.

He narrates the journey in a bald factual style, but intersperses this with readings from a 1932 book Journey to the End of the Night by French author Louis-Ferdinand Céline (Louis-Ferdinand Destouches (1894-1961)), and personal observations about his own state of mind during the trip.

The book is almost like his travelling companion, whispering in his ear as he observes the bleak landscapes of Mongolia and Siberia. Its cynical outlook on life seems to mirror these deserted spots, littered with the debris of Communism.

In Dylan Tighe's highly personal diary, the loneliness of the journey seems to mirror not the landscape, but also Céline’s bleak outlook on humanity. But Céline's determination to find something positive in life prevents Dylan Tighe from sinking into fully the abyss.

Conversation with other passengers is limited by language, but Dylan Tighe makes the most of whatever interaction he has. While he can be scathing about the past and future governments of the countries he passes through, his eye for individual fellow travellers is sympathetic.

He often pauses to let people take in the pictures - at times it feels like a photographic exhibition. But this is no bad thing, as the pictures can be powerful. This is especially true of those featuring people, who stand out as rays of hope in a desolate part of the world.

His decision to make the travel descriptions pithy and factual, letting the journey speak for itself, works well. The interspersing of these with personal thoughts and extensive quotations from Céline also works well, although these elements can be a little word-heavy and complex for a live performance (despite their brilliance in print).

The nature of a long train journey such as this can be a psychological experiment in itself - this show is a compelling account of such an experiment. At the end, Dylan Tighe concludes that travel can be a way of opening the lid on thoughts, free from the distractions of the familiar world.

Cast Credits: Dylan Tighe.

Company Credits: Writer - Dylan Tighe. Director - Dylan Tighe. Lighting & Technical Assistance - Aedín Cosgrove. Poster Design - Keith Nally (www.makeitworkdesign.com). Producer - Jen Coppinger. Company - Dylan Tighe.

END

(c) Colman Higgins 2009

reviewed Tuesday 8 September 09 / 22:00 / Denville Lane Cinema, Dublin, Ireland

More on Dylan Tighe: Mary Paterson on Producing Mise Eire

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com