Marcus Kyd and Kari Ginsburg. Photo by DJ Corey. Photography
Last year, I saw Nick Payne’s “Constellations.” The play twists and turns through time. There are loops; there are rewinds; and there are moments that seemingly emerge out of nowhere. Watching Constellation Theatre Company’s production of Payne’s play “Incognito,” I was once again reminded of the oft-dizzying pace, the tricks of time, and the veritable kaleidoscope of characters that Payne likes to put up on the stage. In the hands of the wonderful quartet of actors in this particular production, Payne’s dramatic, tightrope walk between past, present, and what-could-have-been was especially entertaining to watch.
…wonderful quartet of actors…an exhilarating night of theatre…
The story itself is a bit complex to follow. We have the death of Albert Einstein, followed by the theft–not–theft of his brain. There’s a neuropsychologist struggling with her coming out and a musician suffering from a traumatic memory loss disorder—not to mention a murder and a case of undisclosed paternal identity, as well as an affair that totally derails an otherwise seemingly happy marriage. All of this somehow manages to come together—and make sense—throughout the 90-minute show.
Several things combine to make this an exhilarating night of theatre, not the least of which is the cast. There are four actors playing 21 different people. (Honestly, I lost count of how many characters the play contains and had to look it up). The way in which each actor segues from part to part, accent to accent, and quirky mannerism to quirky mannerism is truly astounding. If you want a master class in managing multiple roles, you need only come see this particular group of actors.
As the newly out neuropsychologist who drinks to hide her many layers of heartbreak, Kari Ginsburg commands the stage, especially as she so seamlessly switches then to scorned New Jersey housewife. She evokes your pity and your cheers in one fell swoop. As the memory-forsaken pianist, Gerrad Alex Taylor poignantly brings audiences into his world of forgetting and being forgotten. Then there is the mastermind behind the Einstein brain theft, Thomas Harvey, played by Marcus Kyd. Kyd’s depiction of Harvey’s utter (and often inconceivable) resolve to persist with the brain project despite the naysayers, hecklers, and decades of stagnation is brilliantly done—to the point where he elicited a chorus of audience “awws” when, yet again, his grand plans were coldly dismissed. Then there’s Ixchel Hernández. The characters she takes on have perhaps the most centrality in terms of bringing the various people of this play together. In fact, Hernández emerges as a grounding and reassuring figure. You can’t help but feel safe in her hands, even on this twisted and complex journey.
Allison Arkell Stockman’s direction leads this highly talented team of players through one fast-paced, adrenaline-filled ride of a production. You are not bored for a moment wondering how did they get from point A to point C without ever first going through B. It takes some dramatic chops to navigate Payne’s type of terrain, and Stockman does so expertly.
The other key player in this production is, without question, the set design. A series of illuminated cubes help guide viewers through the many different scenes. The symbolism inherent in the set and the way in which it expresses its own type of movement, allowing the actors to flow from one encounter to the next, speaks volumes about the technical and artistic capacity of this team and how brilliantly they work together. Nephelie Andonyadis (set design), Albert Segarra (lighting design), Ben Harvey (head electrician), CJ Johnson (scenic artist), Mike Salmi (technical director), Sarah Reed (scenic charge artist), Pamela Weiner (properties designer), Sarah O’Halloran (sound designer and composer), and their respective crew members truly turn the theatre into a delightful light show/multifaceted universe for 21 characters to orbit.
This was definitely one of the better productions I’ve had the pleasure to watch in the past few months. When the words, the acting, the direction, and the production values come together as effortlessly as they do in Constellation’s presentation of “Incognito,” you know you are in for one very satisfying evening of entertainment.
Running time: Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission.
“Incognito” runs through March 12, 2023 at Constellation Theatre, 1835 14th Street NW, Washington D.C, 20009. For more information and tickets, click here. Guests are required to wear masks inside the theater.
