Undersigned ★★★★★

Yannick Trapman-O’Brien has a great deal of confidence in his one-on-one experiential show Undersigned: If you find your appointment disappointing, you can receive a portion of your ticket price back. Conversely, if you feel like the experience was worth more than what you paid, you’re invited to pay more. How is that for chutzpah?

Fortunately, the confidence is warranted.

In development since 2019, and featured at festivals and private events in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Amsterdam and Boston, Undersigned is a deeply personal, unique and private invocation facilitated by Trapman-O’Brien (and at some appointments, McKenna Parsons). And though I spent nearly an hour in a room alone with Trapman-O’Brien, I still have no idea what he looks like, as I was blindfolded after being led into the room and given instructions by the attendant, (Lyra Levin), elegant but ever serious.

To say much more about what happens in the room would spoil surprises and secrets, so beyond the aforementioned blindfold, I will only mention that there are various boxes to be opened and a candle that serves multiple purposes. Also, and most importantly, the depth of the experience is totally up to the openness and honesty of the participant, who, despite being blindfolded, has great control over the content of the proceedings. Beyond that, to paraphrase Father John Hume in Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Part 2, I will seal up my lips and give no words but mum. What I will say is that Trapman-O’Brien and his creative design team (Josh Davidoff, Christian Vernon and Peter Droste) have succeeded in making an experience that is both meaningful and challenging. I will not soon forget it, nor should I. And nor will you if you grab this opportunity.