Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Solo shows with a little extra to give: Roger Guenveur Smith in IN HONOR OF JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT, Helder Guimarães in THE HOPE THEORY

• By drediman
• September 19, 2026
• No Comments

These days, solo shows seem almost like a dime a dozen. With so many to choose from and the perceived limitations in how to stage them, they frequently can seem interchange with each other. That being said, there are two one man shows currently playing Off-Broadway that are making strong efforts to distinguish themselves. If you’re curious to discover how they do so, I would encourage you to read on below.

IN HONOR OF JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT
New York Theatre Workshop
Through October 4

One of the hits of the most recent Under the Radar festival was Roger Guenveur Smith’s In Honor of Jean-Michel Basquiat (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). Given that I missed the opportunity to see it in January, I was pleased to learn that New York Theatre Workshop has picked up it up for a proper Off-Broadway run for the East Village-based theater company’s season opener. In short, Smith’s impressionistic and deeply personal solo show recounts his close friendship with the iconic modern artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who passed away in 1988 a the tender age of just 27. In all respects, Smith delivers a masterful, eye-catching turn that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go for the duration of the show’s hour runtime. Unfolding like a fever dream, the play is both soulful and stylishly fractured as it captures and pieces together various voices — including Smith’s, chronicling his own journey as an artist — in a collage-like manner. Indeed, there’s a rhythmically syncopated, stream-of-conscience quality to Smith’s tour-de-force performance that makes it seem like he’s concocting the show in front of your eyes. He also performs with a boldly sinuous physicality that simultaneously calls to mind hip-hop and modern dance. Another way the production distinguishes itself is the essential contribution of Marc Anthony Thompson’s live sound design, which imbues Smith’s performance with an atmospheric moodiness that renders In Honor of Jean-Michel Basquiat a piece of art in and of itself.

THE HOPE THEORY
New York City Center
Through December 6

Then over at the subterranean Stage II at New York City Center, you’ll find Helder Guimarães’ unlikely solo show The Hope Theory (RECOMMENDED), which arrives in New York after having previously played the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. In equal parts magic show and autobiographical memoir about the American immigration experience, the play is notable for colliding these two disparate halves with grace and purpose. As a magician and mentalist, Guimarães is undeniably skillful, executing acts of astonishment with considerable elegance and panache. That being said, those who have seen many of these types of shows know what to expect (no spoilers here!). For that small subset, the wow-factor may not be as potent as for those relatively new to such entertainments. Luckily, like Jamie Allan’s Amaze — which continues its open run at New World Stages — Guimarães’ tricks gain emotional potency as an extension of the magician’s personal story. As an actor, Guimarães is articulate and exacting in his storytelling, depicting the difficult process of assimilating into this country as a Portuguese immigrant with pointed clarity and little sugar coating, resulting in a hard-won emotional payoff. And although there’s wonderful cultural specificity sprinkled throughout his account, the overarching message of his story is universal and ultimately — and genuinely — inspirational.