The Hell of Reenactment

'Huis clos' is a story of a battle between two worlds. One is the world of here and now - which means eternal punishment. The other is the world of what has been done and experienced. In hell everything is fixed, completed, closed, sealed and irrevocable. There is no room for novelty, for new starts or an alteration of what has happened. Yet the hell of eternal reenactment requires repeated relapses in old faults and weaknesses. An understanding of past failures weighs heavily against old customs, and every attempt to make a slightest change in one's character is futile. The world that was left behind has been lively, dangerous, perhaps treacherous to some extent, but always challenging and emotional. The world of present ordeal is dead, cold, ephemeral and without consequence. It is filled with powerlessness and faded emotions. Admittedly, it offers a relief after a lifetime of trials, but it places every actor in a situation that must end in disappointment and frustration.