Charlatan OFF-BROADWAY REVIEWS

• NEW YORK TIMES REVIEW OF Charlatan

  

  Nothing Up His Sleeve, Just a Knack for Deception | Vinny DePonto in ‘Charlatan,’ a Magic Show at Ars Nova

  Jason Zinoman

  April 1, 2014: On the night I attended Charlatan, a solid magic show decked out in theatrical finery, its star, Vinny DePonto, first appeared on a video screen before the sound went mute and the production ground to a halt. After a break, he ditched the opening and started again, this time live onstage. Embarrassing? Sure. Did the technical difficulties hurt the evening? Yes and no. One benefit of building a show around themes of manipulation and deception is that mistakes can seem part of the show. Sometimes, they are. Errors even add suspense — Is this part of the trick? — and Mr. DePonto, a slight boyish 27-year-old, is far more likely to fool you with an endearing, vulnerable-seeming laugh than the illusion of perfection.

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• TIME OUT NEW YORK REVIEW OF Charlatan

  

  Charlatan: Theater review by Adam Feldman

  Adam Feldman

  March 31, 2014: The dapper young magician Vinny DePonto describes himself as “a modern-day manipulator,” and the artistry of his flimflam is up to date. But technology only goes so far: On the night I saw his diverting Ars Nova solo show, an A/V malfunction threatened to derail the night at the start. Happily, DePonto has old-school skills to get him through; after a brief delay, Charlatan was back on course, with a fine workaround in place of its planned opening gambit.

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• STAGE AND CINEMA REVIEW OF Charlatan

  

  Off-Broadway Theater Review: CHARLATAN (Ars Nova)

  Dimitry Zvonkov

  March 31, 2014: In a way shows that are pure spectacle – acrobat, dance, magic – must achieve a higher level of virtuosity to be successful than, say, theatrical plays. Even a flawed play can be satisfying. An abundance of drama, for instance, can help take our attention away from the superficiality of the themes; a great actor can turn even trite dialogue into something special; and an inspired director can make an admirable show out of a questionable script. But for pure spectacle to be satisfying not only must the performers’ technique be perfect but the feats on display have to be astonishing; our response to it all must be “Wow!” Charlatan, co-written by Josh Koenigsberg and magician and “mind-reader” Vinny DePonto, and performed by Mr. DePonto under Andrew Neisler’s direction, ostensibly attempts to explore deception and self-deception through a series of illusions.

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• NEW YORK THEATRE REVIEW REVIEW OF Charlatan

  

  Gina Femia on Charlatan at Ars Nova

  Gina Femia

  March 31, 2014: Why do we lie? And why do we believe the lie? These are the troubling questions at the heart of Charlatan, a new play by Vinny DePonto and Josh Koenigsberg. We are asked to question our everyday interactions as we marvel at the expertise and skill of skilled magician and sole performer Vinny DePonto in this fun world premiere at Ars Nova. Charlatan is a sophisticated piece of theatre, both magic show and play—an innovation in storytelling. It seamlessly bridges the gap between the two, creating a show that comments on both the deception and truth of theatre. The monologues and moments between magic acts are beautifully written, strongly performed and connected almost flawlessly to share a coherent and powerful message within its tale of tricks and deceit.

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• USA TODAY REVIEW OF Charlatan

  

  April 2, 2014:

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