Going Dark, Young Vic, review Where on earth are we? A gloomy rotunda from which the light suddenly fades, immersing us in the suggestive sound of leaves in the breeze, birdsong, the rumble of thunder, a shower of rain. One minute it's as if we're outdoors, the next, bang, with our auditory senses sharpened, we're transported back inside, beholding, like an apparition in the void, a bright-looking man called Max. Max has one of the best jobs in the world: he's an astronomy expert whose days are spent opening people's eyes to the wonders of the universe. And for short bursts of mind-expanding time during Sound & Fury's enthralling new show, Going Dark, we're in the local planetarium where he works, an ingenious light-box casting up over us, in a gorgeous, swirling canopy, the awe-inspiring night sky. He points out notable stars, key constellations, the Andromeda galaxy. For my money, his pithy primers are more scintillating than the low-key spiel you get at Greenwich Observatory, while those who love to drool over Professor Brian Cox's imparted wisdoms will be in their geeky element. Yet this isn't simply a glorified lecture: it's a one-man show that casts us both far out into the heavens and deep into human head-space. As relayed in compelling, at times distressing, detail by the actor John Mackay, Max is going blind - and that means losing sight not only of what's furthest away but also of his young, cosmologically inquisitive son, Leo, who zooms about the place with Thunderbird toys and asks increasingly tough-to-answer questions. As the darkness allows our imagination to roam to different locations - home, opticians, hospital, deafening street - so we accompany Max on a journey that brings him, and us, face-to-face with the stark fact that it's our brains that construct what we see around us - and the curious phenomenon that as the universe expands, so its myriad stars will grow ever-fainter to human view. Aside from the weird omission of references to Leo's mother, Hattie Naylor's text is pin-sharp, but it's as a technical marvel that this show proves Sound & Fury are going boldly where few companies have gone before. Along with applauding designers Ales Valasek (set), Guy Hoare (lighting) and co-directors Mark Espiner and Dan Jones, credit should also go to co-creator Tom Espiner's son, whose recorded improvised chatter is like an inspired episode of Outnumbered. All in all, this is a dazzling achievement that deserves a rich scattering of critical stars.