Review: VINCENT at Penfold Theatre

Most people know Vincent van Gogh through his paintings.

The sunflowers. The self-portraits. The Starry Night. The severed ear.

What Leonard Nimoy's Vincent does so beautifully is move beyond the mythology. Rather than focusing on the artist history remembers, the play introduces us to the man his brother knew.

Now playing at Penfold Theatre, Vincent is based on the extensive correspondence between Vincent van Gogh and his younger brother Theo. Framed as a reflection delivered shortly after Vincent's death, the play draws from hundreds of letters exchanged between the brothers to paint a remarkably intimate portrait of one of history's most celebrated artists.

On Saturday evening, I had the privilege of seeing Nathan Jerkins in the role of Theo. Though technically a one-person play, Vincent never feels like a lecture or a history lesson. Instead, it unfolds like a conversation between Theo and the audience, as he opens the journal where he has carefully preserved Vincent's letters and shares memories of the brother he loved, admired, supported, and ultimately lost too soon.

Through Theo's eyes, Vincent emerges as far more than the troubled genius often reduced to a handful of biographical anecdotes. We learn about his deep religious convictions and his attempts to minister to coal miners. We see a man determined to make a difference in the lives of others, even when those efforts often ended in disappointment. We witness his search for love and belonging, his fascination with the natural world, his complicated relationships, and his unwavering commitment to his art.

One of the play's recurring ideas is Vincent's belief that art, faith, and love were inseparable. "Love, Beauty, and God are all the same thing," he reflects, a sentiment that seems to guide every aspect of his life. Whether pursuing religion, relationships, or painting, Vincent approached each with the same intensity and hope, even when the world offered little in return.

Along the way, Theo recounts Vincent's relationships with fellow artists, including Paul Gauguin, whose friendship and eventual falling-out became one of the defining chapters of the painter's life. What emerges is not the familiar caricature of the tortured artist, but a deeply compassionate, intelligent, and passionate individual constantly searching for purpose and meaning.

What makes Nimoy's script so compelling is that it refuses to separate the artist from the man. Vincent's paintings are not presented as masterpieces destined for museum walls. They are the work of someone struggling to understand his place in the world. His failures, disappointments, moments of hope, and artistic breakthroughs all receive equal attention, creating a portrait that feels remarkably human.

Penfold's production enhances the story through the effective use of projections by Lowell Bartholomee. Throughout the performance, a large screen displays Vincent's sketches, studies, and paintings, visually tracing his artistic evolution. As Theo recounts key moments from his brother's life, familiar masterpieces appear alongside lesser-known works, helping situate the audience within the different chapters of Vincent's journey while bringing his creative development vividly to life.

There is a confidence in the simplicity of the staging (designed by Natalie George) that allows the text and performance to remain front and center. Director Beth Burns trusts the material and the actor, resisting any temptation to overcomplicate the storytelling. Given that both Jerkins and alternate performer Ryan Crowder are accomplished actors and Penfold's co-artistic directors, one imagines the process was highly collaborative. Whatever the balance between direction and collaboration, the result feels polished, focused, and deeply engaging.

Jerkins delivers a thoughtful and heartfelt performance as Theo. There is an ease to his storytelling that immediately draws the audience in. He never pushes for sentimentality, allowing emotional moments to emerge naturally from the memories and letters. His Theo feels less like a narrator and more like a brother still wrestling with loss while trying to make sense of a life that continues to inspire and puzzle him in equal measure.

"Vincent, will you ever learn to love yourself?" 

One of the production's greatest strengths is its ability to make art history feel accessible. You do not need to know anything about Vincent van Gogh before walking into the theatre. This is not a story about paintings. It is a story about family, devotion, creativity, mental health, perseverance, and the enduring bond between two brothers.

The evening passes almost effortlessly; I didn't even look at my watch once! For a play built largely around one man recounting the life of another, Vincent remains remarkably engaging from beginning to end. The storytelling is masterful, the historical context fascinating, and the emotional core deeply moving.

More than forty years after its premiere, Vincent remains a theatrical classic. Penfold Theatre's production reminds us that behind every great artist stands a human story worth telling.

In this case, it is the story of two brothers, one remembered by the world and one who made sure he would never be forgotten.

Run time: 1 hour 20 minutes, no intermission.

Vincent

Written by Leonard Nimoy

Directed by Beth Burns

Now playing through June 21st, 2026

Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM

Sundays at 2:00 PM

Penfold Theatre | Mainstage

2120 N Mays St #290, Round Rock, TX 78664

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