Review: 'In & of Itself' Is Much More Than a Magic Show
Master magician Derek DelGaudio is known for his technical excellence, especially with card tricks. And he certainly shows that off in his new work, now at the Daryl Roth Theatre in Union Square.
But this is not your typical now-you-see-em-now-you-don't magic act. Rather, "In & of Itself" is a haunting, one-man performance piece that explores the disconnect between how we see ourselves and how others see us.
When audience members arrive, they are encouraged to pick a card from a wall to identify themselves. Each one says "I am" followed by adjectives and phrases both banal and whimsical: journalist, Republican, gypsy, alchemist, breath of fresh air. They hand the cards to an usher, who gives them to DelGaudio. He doesn't look at them; and yet, at the end of the show, he uses them to perform a moment that connects with the audience in such a beautiful and profound way that I hesitate to call it magic. It's more like art.
In fact, there's so much art in the show that at times the magic can feel distracting. That's because the heart of this piece is not astonishment — or the shallow pleasure of "how'd he do that?" — but a series of deeply-felt, confessional narratives. DelGaudio relates the tale of a reckless game of Russian roulette, speaks about his lesbian mother, and explains why he became a magician — all with a sincerity and wry wit that recalls Moth storytellers. He knows the tough trick of keeping an audience's attention; for much of the show, magic seems to be the least of it.
And yet when the magic and storytelling perfectly align in the last half hour, it is as if he has pulled an elephant out of a hat. His work — which seemed to be about the deep loneliness that happens when you feel that no one will ever know the real you — is suddenly instead about human connection. About the value of relationships. And about hope. It's the best kind of sleight of hand.
Created and performed by Derek DelGaudio; directed by Frank Oz.
At the Daryl Roth Theatre through Dec. 30.
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