Reviewed by Judd Hollander
Before taking their seats in the Darryl Roth Theatre,
audience members come face-to-face with a wall of cards. The different offerings
listing various life choices. From "dreamer" and "cat person"
to "working stiff" and "contortionist". Also making
the cut are such career paths as "haberdasher", "fire
eater" and "freeloader". Each ticket holder asked to chose the
card that best describes how they see themselves. These choices coming into
play during the next hour and a half as Derek Delgaudio demonstrates some very astute
powers of observation, along with some intricate slight of hand in his
one-person show, In & Of Itself.
More than a
master magician, Delgaudio is also an expert storyteller. He recalling
when he first fell in love with the idea the idea of magic and how, while
honing his craft, he learned that when it comes to card play, there are many
professionals who are masters of one method or another, but very few who are well-versed
in a host of different tricks.
However the most important tenet of all that he picked up,
and this under rather unusual circumstances, was when he learned that it's not
what you can do, but how it comes across that matters. The idea being never to appear
too showy or confident in your presentation. For doing so risks alienating
those you're seeking to impress, or trying to fool. How one is perceived being
a key component to a successful performance.
Delgaudio also relates a well-known fable about what happens
when a group of blind men come upon an elephant and the different impressions
they get when each man touches only one part of the animal. Perception again
being the overall point of the story. Delgaudio also tosses in a bit of whimsy here
when he wonders why no one ever thinks about how the elephant felt while being
poked and prodded by so many people at once.
There's also an exploration of perception as it refers to
inanimate objects. For example, one may pass a brick lying on the side of a
road and pay no attention to it. However when that brick is thrown through your
living room window, it takes on an entirely new meaning, both physically and
emotionally.
Delgaudio make for both a genial and comforting host. The
entire evening being a sort of journey of personal self discovery. He opening
the show with a tale of a man who continually defied the odds via a game of a
Russian roulette. The idea, one which Delgaudio translates to himself, is to
continually push one's boundaries to see how far they can go.
This is another issue Delgaudio continually returns to as he
tries to get the audience to understand both himself and his methods. Yet while
Delgaudio goes to great lengths to explain who he is, including sharing a bit
of his personal family history, the show's ultimate twist is that, by the time
the performance is over, Delgaudio will have demonstrated just how well he
knows those in the audience. This involving not only the cards people chose
before the show began, but also a letter he gives to an unsuspecting audience
member. One which turns out to be surprisingly personal for the one who reads
it.
The letter sequence is one of several situations which
involve audience participation. Those in attendance either helping Delgaudio
with certain happenings on stage or contributing their own ideas to what is
unfolding, or what may unfold in the future.
The show is ably directed by Frank Oz, who gives Delgaudio free
rein to reach out to the audience on a seemingly one-to-one level. The work
given an extra layer of subtlety thanks to the music of Mark Mothersbaugh.
Quite satisfying and intellectually stimulating, when all is
said, shown and done, In & Of Itself
proves to be a very enjoyable experience.
In & Of Itself
Written & Performed by Derek Delgaudio
Presented by Glenn Kaino, Neil Patrick Harris, Tom Werner,
Gary Goddard Entertainment
Production Designer: A. Bandit
Lighting Designer: Adam Blumenthal
Sound Designer: Kevin Heart
Advertising & Marketing: The Pekoe Group
Press Representative: Vivacity Media Group
Production Supervisor: Production Core
Stage Manager: Christine Catti
Company Manager: Jon Hamel
General Management: DR Theatrical Management
Consulting Producer: Michael Webber, Sébastien Clergue
Co-Producer: Jake Friedman, Vanessa Lauren
Executive Producer: Prediction Productions
Original Music: Mark Mothersbaugh
Directed by Frank Oz
Daryl Roth Theatre
Tickets: 800-745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com
Information: http://www.inandofitselfshow.com
Running Time: 90 minutes no intermission
Closes: June 18,
2017
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