By Kimberly Harper
The Gamm takes audiences on a mind-bending trip this fall via Nick Payne’s “Incognito,” and with four actors playing 21 different roles, it’s a dramatic, wild ride.
As a writer, Payne is known for giving his audiences a lot of credit. That is, don’t expect to have the plot handed to you and be prepared to think. And be confused: It’s easy to get lost with three separate main story lines going on and quite a few tangents. There’s the lesbian couple destined for failure (well-acted by Karen Carpenter and Casey Seymour Kim, hampered by not-quite believable banter from the script). There’s the man who stole Albert Einstein’s brain, a depiction of the nonfictional Thomas Harvey, played by Tony Estrella. We also have Henry, played by Michael Liebhouser, a victim of a failed surgery who is now hopelessly stuck in the present. His wife, Martha (played by Carpenter), tries to reach him, her frustration becoming more and more desperate as the play wears on. And there are many, many other sub-plots. Kim, for instance, plays Harvey’s wife as well as Einstein’s purported illegitimate daughter. Liebhouser changes hats and takes on the role of the journalist all but stalking said daughter in hopes of obtaining a DNA sample to prove his theory. Most of the show revolves around Harvey’s obsession with Albert Einstein’s brain, which continues long after he discovers that there is absolutely nothing unique about the physiological makeup of the genius’s brain.
It’s all meant to explain the varied inner workings of the human brain, from love and attraction to memory and ambition. As long as you can keep that in mind, you’ll be entertained. Try and make sense of much more and you’re likely to end up as frustrated as poor Martha.
The show is well-directed by Tyler Dobrowski, who does a nice job with a tough script. The actors are definitely on their A-game and the set and costumes, done almost entirely in grey and white, are visually intriguing. Unfortunately, Payne’s overall attempt at bringing the concepts of neuroscience down to an everyday level is about as successful as his attempt to portray a lesbian relationship. There’s some heart, and some good moments, but by and large it’s confusing and not quite on point. A couple of the smaller sub-stories seem out of place and many things get left unresolved.
If you are a season subscriber or a faithful Gamm attendee, you’ll enjoy seeing some stellar performances from some of the house’s best actors, as well as the treat of a newcomer in Liebhouser. But if you are looking for a through-narrative that makes sense, it’s probably best to wait for Uncle Vanya, coming in January.
Incognito runs through Dec. 10 at the Gamm Theater, 172 Exchange St., Pawtucket. Tickets start at $44 and may be obtained by calling 401.723.4266, or online at gammtheatre.org.
