“Mindplay” photo by Chris Ruggiero.
Presented by the Huntington Theatre Company
Created by Vinny DePonto
Written by Vinny DePonto and Josh Koenigsberg
Director – Andrew Neisler
Scenic Design – Sibyl Wickersheimer
Lighting Design – Christopher Bowser
Sound Design – Kathy Ruvuna
Composer – Alex Harris
November 13 – December 1, 2024
Calderwood Pavilion
527 Tremont Street,
Boston, MA 02115
Critique by Craig Idlebrook
1.5 hours with no intermission
May be too intense for younger children
BOSTON — Towards the beginning of the intriguing one-man show Mindplay, mentalist Vinny DePonto was frank with the audience, telling them that the mind was easily manipulatable, and that he was good at doing it. DePonto was true to his word, as he mesmerized the audience with his quiet charm, sharp memory, and his apparent gift to read minds. However, the mentalist later attempted to mix frankness with artifice when he chose to tell his own story with a dazzling stage display as a prop, and this momentarily threatened to break the show’s spell. It may have been his greatest trick to still create a captivating theatrical experience despite this misstep.
DePonto is a dazzling stage presence, with an assured, charming delivery and a piercing appearance and demeanor. To me, he often resembled Jake Gyllenhaal in some of that actor’s more focused work. He combines his ability to memorize whole passages of books, the misdirecting craftsmanship of a magician, and an ability to listen to the cues of those around him to seemingly pull off miracles of mind-reading.
(To get to the most important part of the review, yes, he could perform so-called mind-reading in ways that left both adults and child [mine] in awe. No, I could not figure out how he did it.)
He also was gifted in his ability to help a reluctant audience take part in these minor miracles. Using techniques of hypnosis, he helped volunteers perform admirably on stage, and he even created what appeared to be a psychic connection between two audience members. More than once, I was so struck by his abilities that I worried he could brainwash us all into a cult if he so chose.
In the construction of his play, however, DePonto seemed to understand that theatergoers can grow numb to anything, even miracles. If there is one thing audiences seem to love as much as miracles, however, it is personal disclosure. He obliges by sharing a deeply personal family backstory of his journey towards his career choice. From an early age, he became aware of the fragility of the mind as he dealt with the memory loss of a beloved grandfather and his own sometimes crippling self-doubt.
While DePonto’s story is compelling and his instinct to mix up the show is a smart one, the execution falls short. In my opinion, this is because he abandons the simple stage design that had proven so effective at creating intimacy for a formidable set piece designed for shock and awe. It is as if we were all having a special moment and then we stepped briefly behind the curtain into a Las Vegas residency magic show. The effect was jarring, and endangered the spell DePonto had cast on the audience.
However, by this point he had created enough goodwill with the audience that, in the end, he could overcome this misstep. As DePonto has told us throughout, the mind is a mystery, a tool which attempts to hide what we cannot fully process. The set piece may have created distance, but it would be easy for theatergoers to forgive him for doing so because the intimacy he shares with the audience must be so difficult to maintain.
