Suddenly, Desnos reappeared. “Hey, everyone,” he interjected, in a snotty tone of false enthusiasm. He gave me a shriveling look. He was so unforgiving! Angered now, I slumped in my chair, shaking my head at him. “Let’s revive an old Surrealist tradition. In honor of our uninitiated guests.” His glare was definitely for me.Continue reading “From Book 2: Waking Dream”
Tag Archives: Robert Desnos
From Book 2: L’Étoile de Mer
Author’s note: My protagonist, yoked to a six-pointed starfish, changes the histories of real people’s lives by entering them, bringing with him the spectre of Fantômas and the possibility of love. Therefore his perception of Desnos’s film is his own. “Let it go, Geoffrey,” Desnos repeated. “Lay low for a couple of weeks.” “You’reContinue reading “From Book 2: L’Étoile de Mer”
From Book 2: Desnos, the Select, and Theatre Alfred Jarry
Author’s note: I have long been frustrated with misinterpretations of Artaud merely as “mad,” a cold person, and a failure. Like Martin Esslin correcting the Beats’ version of Artaud, Kimberly Jannarone unearths the powerful admiration Artaud’s friends and colleagues had for him and I am grateful to her for restoring the Theatre Alfred Jarry toContinue reading “From Book 2: Desnos, the Select, and Theatre Alfred Jarry”
From Book 3: Hazing
While working one day at my desk, which was separated from the bank lobby only by a partition, I looked up suddenly into the grinning, absurd face of Benjamin Péret. “Kind sir,” he oozed from that wide mouth of his while Breton hung back to laugh at me, “the authorities have decreed that every bankContinue reading “From Book 3: Hazing”
From Book 3: Lise Deharme
This is the night of Balthus’s suicide attempt. Previous scene here. “Desnos really wants to get Artaud into radio,” Deharme said gently to me as the car pulled forward, guided by our faceless driver. “Artaud has a great voice for it; his portrayal of Fantômas was unforgettable! I’ve appreciated working with him. It’s a pityContinue reading “From Book 3: Lise Deharme”
From Book 3: A Tragic Misdiagnosis
Author’s note: In adolescence Artaud was diagnosed with hereditary syphilis. He denied this and I doubt he had it. However, Artaud sought out doctors for various cures that may have done him even more damage. This paper describes the consequences of a tragic misdiagnosis. At last I convinced Artaud to see my own doctor,Continue reading “From Book 3: A Tragic Misdiagnosis”
From Book 3: The Sins of Nin, Part Two
Again, I use the diary of Anais Nin as a resource because I think it accurate about events, but not interpretations. Franz, for his part, came to the supper table at night irritated at the French attitude toward money. “I’m sick of their peasant thrift,” he grumbled. “All these hard-headed villagers are flocking toContinue reading “From Book 3: The Sins of Nin, Part Two”
From Book 1: Hurl his Soul
Buy book one, Traitor Comet! Finally Genica and Artaud emerged, carelessly dressed and uncombed and dragging their bags, though I noticed Artaud had taken the time to shave. He was always impeccably clean-shaven, every day, even when he wandered homeless around Paris. He trudged up to Desnos. “Can we go,” he snapped, “so IContinue reading “From Book 1: Hurl his Soul”
From Book 1: Drowning a Mouse
Buy book one, Traitor Comet! Justine laid Artaud’s head in her lap and as his arms slipped around her, her fingers stole into his long hair, stroking it longingly. “Tell me that you won’t cut it,” she pleaded. “I must,” he groaned. “I am going back to my parents’ house this week forContinue reading “From Book 1: Drowning a Mouse”
From Book 3: Balthus and Laudanum
In June, 1934 Balthus attempted suicide and Artaud found him. Previous scene here. Valentine Hugo trailed me to the door and exchanged some more meaningless pleasantries with me while I kept backing away. When I finally reached the street, I breathed a sigh of relief. I was far from Montparnasse but I decided to stopContinue reading “From Book 3: Balthus and Laudanum”