Mindplay, Kogod Cradle, Arena Stage, Washington, DC
V inny DePonto in Mindplay at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theatre. Photo by Chris Ruggerio. Vinny DePonto’s bio in the playbill for Mindplay , the current offering in the Kogod Cradle at Arena Stage, lists him as the production’s creator, playwright, and performer, then sums up what it is that he does: “The work of theatre-maker and mentalist Vinny DePonto uses a combination of psychological tricks, visual art, and immersive storytelling.” A program note begins, “The mind is a funny place. And it is. A place, that is.” The Kogod Cradle is a warm, cocoon-like space, the perfect location for DePonto to lead his audience through an exploration of our memories and our minds. And, because of its dependence on the participation of a specific audience, each performance will be different. Over the course of approximately 80 minutes, DePonto demonstrates a kind of magic that goes beyond sleight-of-hand (though there is that as well) into what we might call sleight-of-mind,