Incognito NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (185)
See it if you liked Constellations, and If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet
Don't see it if you are looking for a big, showy, fluffy production
See it if you want an out of the box play. Story line is a little complex, but interestingly enough, the plot is easy to follow.
Don't see it if you want something light. The 4 actors play multiple characters and the transition is instantaneous, so it requires your full attention.
See it if you love new work that is both intellectually challenging and beautifully choreographed direction. Innovative, smart, moving, thoughtful.
Don't see it if you are too lazy to think, can't follow characters slipping in and out of multiple characters and story lines,
See it if You are up for a nonlinear tale that weaves together science, memory, intrigue and heartbreak performed exquisitely by a stellar cast.
Don't see it if You don't like Nick Payne's other work/you need a straightforward plot/you aren't willing to work for it as an audience member
See it if You're a fan of intense dramas that really make you think. This is some pretty intense down the rabbit hole kind of stuff.
Don't see it if You're looking for light fluffy entertainment that gives you all the answers or ANY of them for that matter. Some of these questions hurt.
See it if Interested in this playwrights latest work
Don't see it if Have problems following multi stories
See it if you loved Constellations, four skillful actors playing 21 people, want to engage, challenging thoughtful material.
Don't see it if you want something light; if you like big staging or don't want to work while you watch. You didn't like Constellations.
See it if You like unique plays with interesting story lines.
Don't see it if You don't want to see a thought provoking play with an interesting concept.
Critic Reviews (31)
“Payne is better at posing questions than answering them, and his handling of all these narratives leaves much to be desired...The cast of four navigate Payne's intricately constructed script so nimbly...Hughes' immaculate staging is more assured than Payne's often messy script...If it results in a whirring top of a play, spinning off ideas without regard for an overall point of view, it offers many dazzling moments and a prodigious cast. Your brain will be teased--and even sometimes satisfied.
Read more
"Payne did the same thing last season with ‘Constellations.’ That play, like this one, paid enormous theatrical dividends if you were willing to stick with it. But what it offered that 'Incognito' doesn't, at least to the same degree, is a rigorous depth of feeling...It's still gripping in how much it does attempt and how much of that it achieves. And one suspects, even during the sags, that it wouldn't take much to make this intellectual triumph into an emotional triumph as well."
Read more
"This is heady theater and demands concentration. However, the excellent cast of four made of Geneva Carr (Theatre World Award winner for 'Hand to
God'), Charlie Cox (Netflix’s 'Daredevil'), Heather Lind (AMC’s 'Turn: Washington’s Spies'), and Morgan Spector (Drama Desk Award nominee for 'Russian Transport') make this an unforgettable evening in the theater."
Read more
"Geneva Carr, Charlie Cox, Heather Lind and Morgan Spector handle the to and fro between characters and story lines with great physical as well as emotional and verbal dexterity…If you liked 'Constellations,' you'll be glad Mr. Payne is back with another clever brain teaser. And given this excellent production and acting ensemble he's sure to win some new fans. That said, however, 'Incognito' isn't quite as emotionally engaging as his 'Constellations.'"
Read more
"Payne’s dialogue is quick and clever, adding an unexpected humor to a play largely about science…'Incognito' is very engaging, with compelling characters and plot…A satisfying intellectual experience, if not an emotional one. I wonder if all this neuroscience really adds up to a satisfying story. It’s entertaining to watch as all four excellent actors fire on all cylinders, but I’m not sure what Payne wants us to take away…'Incognito' feels like an exercise more than a fully formed play."
Read more
"'Incognito' explodes onto the stage and there you are on this incredible ride. Hughes’ direction of Payne’s brilliant script is so spot-on, so meticulous and moving at the speed of light, that there is no room for you to exhale...It is a tour de force for these incredibly skilled performers. They’re jaw-droppingly good...This is why we have theatre...This is the off-Broadway scene as it should be, intimate and at the same time expansive, thought-provoking, exciting and surprising."
Read more
"What happens to Einstein’s brain, Thomas Harvey’s marriage, Martha and Patricia’s romance, and Henry’s memory – including his ability to remember how to play the piano – makes up the engaging ninety minutes of Mr. Payne’s important play. Each actor gives their multiple characters distinct characteristics, mannerisms, and speech patterns. This results in authentic and believable performances throughout."
Read more
"Any one of these strands might have made a satisfying and intriguing drama about the mysteries of the mind…But deliberately jumbled together, they make at best a challenging drama, at worst a pretentious one…The playwright seems more interested in confounding than enlightening his audience…Despite these juicy morsels, my brain rebelled...My mind started working out different narratives than the ones on the stage, such as where we might eat dinner afterwards."
Read more