David Kwong: An Enigma on Stage (2024)

CHICAGO—If you’ve attended many magic shows and are convinced that you’ve seen it all, “The Enigmatist” might change your mind. Indeed, the one-man show by David Kwong, now playing at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in Chicago, might surprise you, as it will have you questioning everything you have come to expect from magical theatrics. That’s because David Kwong, a crossword puzzle creator for The New York Times, has crafted a presentation that’s like nothing you’ve experienced before.

Right from the beginning, Mr. Kwong tells the audience that every puzzle has a solution and every trick can be explained. Furthermore, he says that we don’t have to be super-smart about math or a crossword puzzle aficionado to follow his sleight-of-hand. He adds that the show is appropriate for young and old, and we don’t have to be a geniuses to participate.

Mr. Kwong, who admits to being a nerd’s nerd, is a lover of puzzles, a creator of illusions, and a big history buff. The brainiac’s twin loves are magic and history, which is why he studied the history of magic at Harvard University and why he spends a good deal of time in the rare books section of the New York Public Library.

Presented in Chicago Shakespeare’s Upstairs Theater, the show’s set design is by Brett J. Banakis, with lighting by Joshua Higgason and sound by Brendan Aanes. The show’s intimate setting gives the feeling of being in someone’s living room with a group of friends, sharing an evening of spellbinding entertainment.

The show does feature card tricks, secret codes, and clues to crossword puzzles, and other puzzles created by Mr. Kwong, as well as intricacies of games like Scrabble. It’s highlighted by a fascinating trick up Mr. Kwong’s sleeve: It includes a kiwi fruit and a cell phone and left many in the audience with their mouths gaping and scratching their heads.

As Mr. Kwong continues his demonstrations, he points out that creating puzzles and creating magic have a lot in common. Both, he explains, have the same purpose, which is that of solving problems, and bringing order out of chaos. He explains that he thinks that human DNA is hardwired to try to make sense out of things. At least he believes that’s the case for most people.

In “The Enigmatist,” Mr. Kwong isn’t just doing tricks and presenting us with entertaining illusions, he is also imparting some of his philosophy and his understanding of the world. He explains how perceptions can be deceiving and how we can often be misled.

Although you won’t be IQ-tested to participate in the show, and although Mr. Kwong tells us that you don’t have to be brilliant to enjoy his illusions, there are moments when it wouldn’t hurt to be a bit on the cerebral side or at least be intellectually curious. Such is the case when he brings out the periodic table of elements in order to solve a crossword puzzle, and then asks the audience to join in as he makes fun of atomic elements and their symbols.

Mr. Kwong is able to fuse his love for history and cryptology when he narrates the story of wealthy, eccentric Chicagoan George Fabian, who, in the early 20th century, went on a crusade to find hidden messages in Shakespeare’s plays. Fabian believed he could prove that Francis Bacon was the real playwright who wrote the Bard’s canon of works. Although, Fabian didn’t convince enough people to throw out Shakespeare’s authorship, the cryptologists he hired later helped in the Allied codebreaking of World War II.

A hoot of an entertainment, “The Enigmatist” has a way of making those in the audience feel as though they’re taking part in a mysterious adventure. To enhance the feeling of wonderment and excitement, management suggests that theatergoers arrive at the theater about 20 to 30 minutes early in order to solve some puzzles before the show begins. That’s not mandatory, but might add to the fun-and-games experience of the show.

‘The Enigmatist’Carl and Marilynn Thoma Theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater800 E. Grand Ave., Navy Pier, ChicagoTickets: 312-595-5600 or ChicagoShakes.comRunning Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes (no intermission)Closes: June 30, 2024

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