What David Byrne's "Theater of the Mind" feels like
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Chicago audience members experience Theater of Mind. Photo: Courtesy of Todd Rosenberg.
When my husband asked me what "Theater of the Mind" was before we went this week, I told him I didn't really know, despite previewing its arrival.
- Now that I've seen it, I still don't quite know, and that's a good thing.
Flashback: The Goodman Theater first teased the immersive theatrical experience more than a year ago, stirring excitement with the revelation that David Byrne of Talking Heads and "American Utopia" was the brain behind the project.
The basics: The show opened March 11 at the Reid Murdoch building in River North.
What to expect: Human interaction. Audience members have to stow bags and smart devices in lockers, forcing face-to-face interaction with others — no texting or capturing Instagrammable moments.
- That intimacy is part of the experience; each person becomes a character in a story that unfolds over 75 minutes with no intermission.
- Your story guide is "David," not Byrne himself, but definitely David Byrne-infused.
Context: When Byrne described "Theater of the Mind" last fall as inspired by neuroscience and history, I was intimidated.
- Goodman renderings of the space were video-game like — showing elaborately designed sets and virtual reality headsets.
Yes, but: The neuroscience is much more approachable than I feared. "David" challenges the audience to test perceptions of reality, guiding each person through new ways of seeing, hearing and tasting.
- A story of memory, family, love, fear, anger and empathy unfolds around the interactive activities. It's not just playtime, you will also think and feel.
- There are also VR headsets at one point.
The intrigue: Several actors rotate through the role of "David," offering theatergoers a different experience each time.
If you go: "Theater of the Mind" runs through July 12, but Byrne stressed this week that he wants to make it permanent.
- Tickets start at $69.
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show tickets start at $69 (not $80).