Greenhouse Theatre Center Presents Mark Toland’s MIND READER Review – Mystery and Mentalism at its Best

Posted on by Brent Ervin-Eickhoff

Editor’s Note:  Below you will find an earlier review of Mind Reader published on 05-18-2018.  NOW!! you can get discount tickets to this show.

Mark Toland is after one thing with his show, Mind Reader, currently playing at The Greenhouse Theatre: mystery. He tells you as much at the beginning of his intimate show. The first moments of the performance actually begin the moment you meet Toland, although how exactly your decisions factor in to the overall production are best experienced firsthand. Suffice to say, it’s just one of many mysteries of the evening.

The Greenhouse Theatre Presents An Intimate Performance

Mind Reader is meant for small audiences and the stage’s sparse trappings are comprised of nothing more than an easel, small table, and curtain. Toland wants the performance to be as much about the audience and what they bring into the room as he wants it to be about his own astonishing feats of mind reading. Over the past twenty-five years, Toland has crafted a masterpiece of mentalism where the audience’s minds serve as his stage. The result is an astonishing evening of up-close-and-personal (emphasis on “personal”) magic that confounds logic.

Greenhouse Theatre Center MIND READER
Mark Toland. Photo by Sarah Larson.

Mind Reader’s Mark Toland As Funny As He Is Mesmerizing

The puzzling, seemingly paranormal exhibits of mind reading are just part of the fun of the evening. The other joy of Mind Reader comes from Toland’s engagement with the crowd. Trained as an actor and improvisor in addition to the art of mind reading, his pedigree shows. Mind Reader mixes audience in-jokes and pop culture references with a variety of other gags worthy of any stand-up comic. For Chicago audiences craving a thoroughly entertaining evening out with friends or a great date night full of nuggets to discuss afterwards over drinks or a late dinner, it’s hard to imagine a more exciting option this summer than Mind Reader.

Highly Recommended

Note: This is now added to the Picture this Post round up of BEST PLAYS IN CHICAGO, where it will remain until the end of the run. Click here to read – Top Picks for Theater in Chicago NOW – Chicago Plays PICTURE THIS POST Loves.

This Event Ended

Photos Sarah Larson

Note: An excerpt of this review appears in Theatre in Chicago

Brent Ervin-Eickhoff is a director, writer, and educator based in Chicago, IL. He has worked with A Red Orchid Theatre, Silk Road Rising, Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co., Facility Theatre, and others as a director, assistant director, and in a variety of artistic capacities. Brent served as Co-Artistic Director and then Managing Director of Blue Goose Theatre Ensemble for three years, of which he was a founding member. His productions of Herculaneum and Bison? Bison. Bison! with Blue Goose were praised by critics and audiences. Bison? Bison. Bison! was selected and performed as part of Chicago’s Night Out in the Parks Initiative. An award-winning filmmaker, Brent’s films have screened as part of the Frog Baby Film Festival and Indianapolis 48 Hour Film Project. His play Puget Sound was workshopped as a staged reading as part of A Red Orchid Theatre’s Incubator Program in 2017. Brent graduated from Ball State University Magna Cum Laude with degrees in Directing and Theatre Education, as well as Ball State’s prestigious Academic Honors in Writing.
 

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