Theater of the Mind carries perception from outwards in at the Goodman Theater.

The Memory Palace, known in Roman times as the method of loci, is a concept used for organizing and recalling information. It involves mentally associating pieces of information with specific locations in a familiar environment, like rooms in a house, or drawers in a cabinet.  The user visualizes these locations in sequence and imagines placing the concepts to be remembered at specific points within the house (or cabinet, or whatever).  Recall is achieved by mentally retracing the path and using the imagined places to retrieve the associated information. Co-Creators David Byrnes and Mala Gaonkar have taken this concept out of the mind and into a tangible experience at the Goodman Theater. It is an immersive blend of your childhood local science museum, a one person show, and a meditation on the nature of memory – and how it shapes who we are.

Tours of only 16 people at a time are taken on a 75-minutes journey through the memory palace of a character named David. The different rooms each have meaning for him, and the friends he has brought along. Each room provides an experience that plays with perception and examines how perception can alter any moment profoundly. Part of the joy of this experience is not knowing what each room will present, so I won’t get into details, but be prepared for all of your senses to be piqued.

Multiple shows go on each night, spaced out 15 minutes apart. Director Andrew Scoville has orchestrated a cast of eleven different actors of various ages, sexes and ethnicities to guide their audiences through the program with a playful yet clock-like efficiency.  Our David was the warm, engaging, Shariba Rivers. The choice to cast based on vibes, rather than any physical qualities, gives the whole evening a philosophical air – it’s about David, and Shariba, and you and me and anyone else in the room. It’s about our minds and our hearts, and what they can do, and how we can choose to engage with the world around us. Participating in this multi-media, technology heavy and yet deeply personal work reminded me of Arthur C. Clarke’s famous statement that magic is just science we don’t understand yet. Or perhaps, that the blend of art and science is the true definition of magic.

Despite the fact that all of the illusions in the program can be explained, in fact, at the end of the program audiences are even given a list of explanations and further reading, one can’t help but be slightly dissatisfied with the idea that science is nothing but facts. The ability of our minds to be fooled, of our senses to be mistaken, and of our memories to be imperfect requires a certain flexibility in thought and a steadiness of heart that goes beyond algorithms. In one room, there is a very technology-driven, futuristic experience and yet, that experience happens surrounded by expressive, strange and striking paintings made by a real person, conveying real and mysterious thoughts and feelings that inform the moment profoundly.

In dark times this evening is a return to wonder, a reminder that life, and the universe are filled with mysteries and seeking knowledge can be a joyful, illuminating experience, if you can let go and allow new perspectives to expand your understanding, rather than limit it. Perhaps this description of the show says it best:

Caution: Side effects may include a distrust of your own senses, a disorientation of self, and a mild to severely good time. You may not be who you think you are. But we’re all in it together.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Alina C. Hevia

Theater of the Mind, recommended for ages 10+, appears now through July 12, 2026, at the Reid Murdoch Building (333 N. LaSalle). Tickets ($69-$99, subject to change) are available at the Goodman Theatre Box Office (170 N. Dearborn), by calling 312.443.3800 or by purchasing online at TheaterOfTheMindChicago.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.