A SIMULACRUM at ATC

[TheSecretArden]

Posted: 5/26/23 at 7:36am

Previews started last night for Lucas Hnath’s newest project, A Simulacrum at ATC. Magic shows are very hit-and-miss for me, but Lucas’ plays consistently wow me. If anyone’s seen, could you share thoughts?

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 5/26/23 at 7:57am

I have an ACCESS25 ticket (with fees $28) that I can no longer use for this Sunday 5/28 at 7:30.  Send me a PM if interested.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 5/26/23 at 9:28am

This will almost certainly be more than just “a magic show.” Steve Cuiffo was the illusion designer for The Thin Place, as well as the lip sync and illusion consultant for Dana H., so in addition to his history with Lucas Hnath, he’s got a great eye for creating uncanny theatrical moments.

[Dan6]

Posted: 5/26/23 at 10:42am

Seeing this Sunday night and will report back.

[yyys]

Posted: 5/26/23 at 10:57am

  Is there an actual play with a cast? Or just the two of them?

[Dan6]

Posted: 5/29/23 at 12:32am

Well, that was…something?

The “play” is Steve Cuiffo alone on stage, interacting with Lucas Hnath’s voice on a tape recorder playing back their conversations in 2021 and 2022 when they were discussing what this play would be. Cuiffo reenacts his part of the conversations live. (I confess I’m not entirely clear on whether these conversations were the actual recorded conversations between the two - obviously excerpted - or scripted material purporting to be informal conversations, but my impression is the former.)

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

In the last segment of the show, the recording switches to one between Cuiffo and his wife.

When Hnath asks Cuiffo to show him a magic trick, Cuiffo shows us. When Cuiffo explains to Hnath how a trick is set up and performed, he explains it to us. There’s a lot of talk about process, about insecurities, about childhood trauma, about what people don’t like about magic. And ultimately it doesn’t amount to much at all.

The magic itself, which is ultimately a minor part of the show, is pretty basic stuff (cups and balls, torn and restored newspaper) executed in a pretty basic fashion; Asi Wind’s Inner Circle this is not. And the use of recorded voices, which I understand served a theatrical narrative purpose in Dana H. (which I regrettably missed), just seems a tired gimmick when there’s no actual story being told. There were moments when I thought the piece was approaching some insight and might have something to say about taking from others’ work (as almost all magic does) versus creating something wholly original. But then it would U-turn into muddled exchanges about what trick Cuiffo might do for his wife. 

Yet even though I was left at the end wondering what the point was (or if there was one), I can’t say I hated this. Cuiffo has a pleasant enough stage presence, and there was enough there to hold my interest. There might be something this could develop into; I’m not sure what, but it’s definitely not there yet. 

Updated On: 5/29/23 at 12:32 AM

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 5/29/23 at 12:36am

What was today's running time, please?

[Dan6]

Posted: 5/29/23 at 12:41am

TaffyDavenport said: "What was today's running time, please?"

About 85 minutes. 

[BIG BALONEY]

Posted: 5/29/23 at 10:30am

I saw this show yesterday and didn't care for the format which seemed endless. A magician listening to a tape recorder did nothing to hold my interest. This is not a play but a performance piece that barely held my interest. Believe me when I say I wanted to leave Atlantic Stages II on 16th Street fifteen minutes into the performance. I felt like I was in A Doll's House and wanted to push that exit door wide open.

[yyys]

Posted: 5/29/23 at 11:25am

Thanks for the reviews....glad I chose Titanique last night then......LOL

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 6/8/23 at 4:27pm

I also wasn't quite sure what this play was meant to be, though I got a CAP25 ticket so I didn't pay too much.  I was entertained enough throughout, with some simple magic tricks (though they were still cool) and some insight into the life of a professional magician.  It feels as if they thought about making this an audio play but then realized they actually wanted the audience to see the tricks so they just had Steve Cuiffo recite all his lines and do the trick live.

Some of the conversations were somewhat interesting, but it was disappointing how much they were just there and gone without trying to dive into any of the topics further: Steve talks about the role of a magician at high profile events, how he's not part of the staff but also not a guest; Lucas prods him about how much he imitates magicians that have come before him by doing their tricks; they discuss the disparity in what Steve finds interesting about magic (the scene-setting and contextual text he reads before a trick) versus Lucas (the trick itself); and Steve tries to explain why his wife doesn't like magic (he thinks it might be due to lack of empathy).  Each of these felt like hints at a more profound show that would really dive into an interesting topic about magic/magicians, but then they would move on to the next trick.

I think this could've been an interesting show if they had a bit more focus about what they wanted to do.  Like I guess they felt like the conversation was worth hearing (which I'd say some parts are), but they also knew it had to be a bit of a magic show so they kept a steady flow of magic tricks for the audience's benefit (and it felt to me that the audience was really just waiting for the next magic trick).  I couldn't really say I recommend this to people, but I think for people that are still curious, it could be worth a cheap ticket if you know what you're getting into.