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Woke up thinking about IN & OF ITSELF - no way I'm not watching that again today, by the way - and this one little moment that occurs about midway through the show. Really stuck with me.
The show's star, Derek DelGaudio, has summoned an audience member to the stage. I won't explain what happens next, but it involves her selecting a sealed envelope from a stack of them and being asked to open and read it.
The tension in the room is through the roof - we have no idea what's in that envelope, and we have no idea how the woman onstage will react to it. Even watching this on my television, I was holding my breath. I imagine everyone in the room was, as well.
So the lady opens the envelope and starts reading. Her eyes start welling up as they scan through whatever's written on that page. When DelGaudio checks on her after a moment, she looks up at him, crying, and all she can say is: "I don't understand."
To which DelGaudio replies - simply, gently - "I know."
It's hard to discuss IN & OF ITSELF without spoiling things (rest assured, you will see amazing illusions and, in all likelihood, be profoundly moved by the time the show wraps), but that "I don't understand"/"I know" feels close to the heart of what this thing actually is.
I'd never heard of Derek DelGaudio, IN & OF ITSELF, or this doc until yesterday and it knocked me on my goddamn ass. It's one of the most astounding shows I've ever seen and I regret not having the chance to see it live. Thank god the doc exists. Please watch it. It's on Hulu.
