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Ricardo Jamon: Mastermentalist

nytheatre.com review by Timothy Fannon
August 15, 2005

The true pleasure of FringeNYC is that you can have a theatrical experience at anytime of the day, any day of the week—you are afforded the opportunity to expand your artistic horizons while watching artists explore their craft in innovative and raw ways. I went into the Ace of Clubs on a beautiful Thursday afternoon ready and willing to witness and participate in such an event. Unfortunately, Ricardo Jamon’s "Heavy Mental Tour," billed as a “hypnotic tour de farce,” though entertaining at moments and an experience in its own right, failed to truly engage and captivate me.The performance begins with a playful lip-synch by a flight attendant (played throughout with simplicity and liveliness by La Linda Malinda), setting up the theatrical conceit that we as participants are onboard a plane and will soon be taking flight. We are then introduced to our pilot and destination by the entrance of Ricardo Jamon, self-proclaimed MasterMentalist, to the tune of “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” again reinforcing the “journey” we will soon be undertaking. Jamon, dressed in an ill-fitting captain’s jacket and fighter pilot shades, and armed with one-liners and off-center humor, explains his “credentials” as a hypnotist and invites the audience to participate in his hypnotic exploration of the self. He asks for volunteers and seven audience members are ushered into chairs onstage.Jamon strikes a serious tone as he explains the hypnotic process to his “passengers” and assures the rest of the audience that this is not a contrived event but that the participants will truly fall under hypnosis. Clue #1 to something slightly amiss to the genuineness of the event. He then proceeds to briefly introduce the seven audience participants, who, though vastly diverse, all seem a bit too eager and prepared with their responses. Clue #2. Captain Jamon too is conveniently ready with smart biting quips to all of his participants' banter. Clue #3. I admit I am a skeptic by nature, but I could not help but harbor doubts as to the authenticity of the imminent “flight.”The pilot begins the hypnosis, and all participants fall under his spell. They are manipulated to make goofy noises, express cliched insecurities and desires, and generally make fools of themselves. The experience is more silly and trite than engaging. The performance culminates with Jamon losing control of his participants and fleeing the theatre with his assistant. The participants are left to wander around the space, finally snapping out of their stupor and left asking the remaining audience “where did he go?”, “what just happened?”, etc. The lights come up and the “journey” is over. Thankfully.My primary discomfort with the piece is that Jamon sets forth to appeal to his audience through an audacious blend of stand-up and hypnotic mastery, but once you assume that the whole experience is a ruse, and that the spontaneous elements are merely staged, you question the integrity of the performance and the performer. What is the point in faux improvisation? Why remove the element of presence from the production? Why promise to perform without a net, but allow the net to be so visible? These questions kept me from staying focused on the presentation, and undercut the potential thrill of the performances. I commend Jamon’s commitment and joyful playfulness, but I think the artist can support his piece by giving greater respect to his audience.