'Mindplay' review — a mind-reading act that shocks, delights, and comforts
Read our review of Mindplay off Broadway, a mind-reading and mentalism show performed by Vinny DePonto and co-created by DePonto and Josh Koenigsberg.
Vinny DePonto wants to know your deep, dark secrets — he says so himself. As a mind reader, exploring minds is his specialty, and any audience member who attends Mindplay at Greenwich House Theater runs the risk of having DePonto see straight into their soul.
But it’s not as scary as that. True to his trade as a magician, DePonto’s grand entrance is mysterious, suspenseful, and even a little spooky. But it becomes immediately clear that Mindplay is not designed to intimidate. In contrast to his debut, DePonto is a friendly, personable stage presence, and his exploration of memory and the mind is just as tender and thought-provoking as it is gasp-worthy.
Mindplay is captivating and visually stunning, from the shadowplay that enhances certain magic tricks to the projections DePonto uses to illustrate his stories. DePonto encourages us to discover our own "memory palaces" — physical spaces we can use to mentally organize our memories — while revealing the nooks and crannies of his own: his grandparents’ home, a place with many happy memories in his childhood. As more pieces of the puzzle of his personal connections come to light, the significance of Mindplay deepens.
DePonto’s vulnerability on stage is stunning, from his self-deprecating humor if a joke doesn’t land to the personal stories around which the show is shaped. Effortlessly capable as a magician, he shares his vulnerabilities with the audience in such an honest way that encourages vulnerability from us in return.
Mindplay is packed with laughter and gasps of shock and, much like an anxious mind, strays to some dark places before the end. The show takes on new dimensions (thanks in part to scenic designer Sibyl Wickersheimer) as we all become engrossed in each others’ memories. With an expertly crafted show structure and DePonto’s warm, reassuring stage presence, an audience member would be hard-pressed not to walk away feeling like Mindplay just gave them a big, comforting bear hug.
Mindplay summary
Co-written by Vinny DePonto and Josh Koenigsberg, Mindplay is quite literally a play about our minds. On top of the jaw-dropping magic and mind tricks that only become more impressive as the show goes on, DePonto takes us on a journey through his own mind, unpacking his memory palace both figuratively and literally.
He touches on the fallibility of the mind, the fickleness of our memories, and the all-consuming dread of mental anxiety, all while impossibly drawing out memories from the minds of audience participants and stunning viewers time and time again.
What to expect at Mindplay
Upon walking into the Greenwich House Theater, audience members will be asked to fill out a slip of paper with something that’s been on their mind: a dream, a memory, a fear, a loss. The slips are all placed in a bowl next to the stage before the show begins. Mindplay is heavily dependent on audience participation, and DePonto will pull random slips from the bowl throughout the show.
It’s not just those whose slips are pulled who get asked to join DePonto on stage, however. As DePonto warns at the start of the show, there is nowhere to hide. Over the course of the 90-minute runtime, participants at my performance went from giggling and embarrassed to patient, reverent, and a touch apprehensive. And even as DePonto’s mentalism continues to shock the audience, his comforting manner creates a warm environment for both participants and spectators alike.
What audiences are saying about Mindplay
Audiences have taken to social media to rave about the unique experience of seeing, and even participating in, Mindplay.
- “It’s fun, eerie, touching and always smart.” - Threads user @georgepappasnyc
- “Audience participation can be a very scary thing, but…Vinny does everything to make it as easy and comfortable of a process as it can be.” -TikTok user @dctheatregoer
- “What an amazing experience.” - Instagram user @stephii005
Who should see Mindplay
- Anyone who saw DePonto and Koenigsberg’s Drama Desk-nominated Charlatan will welcome another intriguing show from the two collaborators.
- Fans of Speakeasy Magick, Cocktail Magique, or other unique NYC magic shows will love DePonto’s particular brand of mentalism and memorable stunts.
- DePonto’s show is built around his own personal narrative about family, and audience members who are mourning the loss of a family member or a family member’s memories will find it particularly moving.
Learn more about Mindplay off Broadway
With so much audience interaction, Mindplay is not for the fearful, but even the most timid theatregoer may find themselves charmed by the magical acts of the charming Vinny DePonto.
Photo credit: Mindplay off Broadway. (Photos by Chris Ruggiero and Jeff Lorch)
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