“Theater of the Mind” reviewed by Paul Lisnek

**** “Theater of the Mind” is a Mesmerizing, Mind-Bending Exploration of Memory and Meaning

 Goodman has entered into a new realm with this untraditional production that has the legs to run in this city for a very long time. While currently set to play until July 12th, the sold out preview audiences (only 16 people will see each 75 minute show) suggest that this show not only has staying power, but will be a must-see thing to do for both Chicagoans and visitors. Indeed, I can see tourists saying, “we have to see the Bean and then we need to see Theater of the Mind.”

From a broader perspective, Chicago is on a mission to create a cultural stadium in the larger downtown area (led critically by Broadway in Chicago’s President and CEO Lou Raisin) and this seems a perfect next step as the mission proceeds. As an immersive theatrical experience, there is nothing like this currently anywhere in the city, or as far I know, any other US city at the moment.

Theater of the Mind isn’t just theater, it’s truly a theatrical revelation best described as deeply imaginative human exploration. The production is an invention of experiences from the creative mind of David Byrne. Yes, THAT David Byrne: former frontman and co-founder of the legendary band Talking Heads. If you have not followed David’s career lately, he has since built a wide-ranging career as a solo musician, theater-maker, filmmaker, visual artist and author. His projects have led to his winning Academy, Grammy and Tony Awards. And now, beyond the concert-theater work “American Utopia” and the musical “Here Lies Love”, he brings us “Theater of the Mind” which brings to life his long-standing fascination (which I share) with the relationship between art, science and our everyday lives.

One can best describe the David Byrne of today as equal parts pop scholar, cultural explorer and ultimate optimist all of which are embedded into every moment of the experience.  He shares a deep curiosity about neuroscience and perception. In fairness, this production is not all Byrne. It’s a collaboration with writer Mala Gaonkar and clearly a team of scientists and theater artists, who together have created a unique quite immersive show that makes tangible what otherwise might remain esoteric topics discussed over a drink, or perhaps an edible.

This show is not a traditional play; it’s more of an intimate and guided trip through someone’s life (whose name happens to be David) but really the mission is to get us to focus on our own perceptions. It’s an experience that takes the audience through a series of rooms with David as the guide, relating the story of a life, but in reverse, as the story begins in David’s later years and moves backwards to childhood. In this way, the audience is both spectator and subject (each audience member given a character name who played some role in our guide’s life; the fun thing to do is play along as that character).  Each room presents a key moment from our Guide’s past but brings it to life thru perception, illusion or maybe a psychological experience forcing you to continually discover whether what you see or what you experience is really what is happening. Is reality really the way it is or was?

Fortunately, the show never feels cold or distant. By the end of the show, the impact is surprisingly emotional, deeply personal, forcing each of us to reflect on our own aging, loss and the power of actually living as a human being. Are we just our bodies? If we had a brain transplant with all memories removed and replaced with the brain of someone else, are we still who we were? We are asked to recognize our unreliable memory teaching us to use it as a way to talk about change, loss and who we really are. Do we do indeed continually revise our own lives as we try and discover who we really are? By the show’s end, we don’t just understand Byrne’s point, we feel it with a new sense of recognition and a bit of wonder about our own existence.

If you are new to theater, or not a lover of traditional theater, or perhaps inexperienced in seeing theater, then trust David Byrne. His mission seems to be to rewire how an audience thinks about theater (and life for that matter); it is for the theatrically seasoned and the inexperienced…it’s for both the older and perhaps especially for the younger.

David Byrne has created a new “must see” in Chicago which is nothing short of mind-expanding. Don’t miss it.

Theater of the Mind takes place in the Reid Murdoch Building (333 North LaSalle) in the heart of downtown Chicago.

Theater of the Mind is recommended for ages 10+.

Learn more at TheateroftheMindChicago.com

Theater of the Mind Plays thru (July 12^th….at least, one can hope) Tickets can be purchased at: www.GoodmanTheatre.org

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “Theater of the Mind”.