MENSA at OnStage Playhouse: A Review of Political Discourse

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Every 18-year-old thinks they have all the answers, but Esther, the 18-year-old math whiz at the center of the new play Mensa, has more reason than most to think she might actually be able to make some change happen in the world. She tries this both at home with her family and by tackling the unsolvable Riemann Hypothesis and earning her place in Mensa, the international society for people with high IQs. Unfortunately, even if the math makes sense, there is no mathematical formula for fixing your family, or a country that seems to have forgotten how to talk to itself.

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That is the central challenge in Salomon Maya ’s Mensa , now receiving its World Premiere at OnStage Playhouse and directed by James P. Darvas . The dark comedy takes on politics, money, religion, racism, and more as it explores the increasingly toxic world of online commentary. While that world may reward the more binary options of "pick a side", Maya’s characters are considerably more nuanced than their political labels might initially suggest.

Isabella Turner gives a sweet, thoughtful performance as Esther, whose mathematical, logic-oriented way of looking at the world struggles to process the messy reality unfolding around her, both within her family and in the larger world beyond it.

Her father, David (Alex Chernow), is a loving, soft-spoken husband and dad who becomes “ Ray Wright ,” a right-wing podcast darling who plays to his audience with increasingly histrionic rants, attacking anyone who might drum up enough outrage to inspire his followers to buy more merchandise. Chernow is excellent on both sides of that character divide, moving convincingly from sweet and supportive to screaming into a microphone in the span of a scene.

Cristina Gallo is fierce and emotionally remote as Valentina, a wife and mother who is equally meticulously controlling in her role as the podcast’s producer. She measures success in listeners, sponsor dollars, and sales of the “ Ray Wright Bible,” coffee mugs, and miscellaneous merch. She seems more comfortable managing a business than allowing herself to be vulnerable as a wife or mother. The hints we get about her background help explain why control and providing for her family are how she expresses love, but more opportunities for that history to shape her character arc would have given Valentina even more nuance.

On the other end of the podcast spectrum is Sophia (Larissa Ryan), an idealistic, soft-spoken progressive whose podcast has a small but growing, active audience that includes Esther. Sophia is frustrated that Americans have become trapped in choosing sides, listening primarily to people who already agree with them, while showing little interest in finding any common ground.

Esther sees a possible solution: bring Sophia and Ray together for a live debate, hoping each side might soften toward the other. Valentina sees an opportunity to increase ratings and land a lucrative advertising deal. David is intrigued by the chance to talk to someone new. Sophia is reluctant about it all, but eventually agrees.

In the world of mathematics, variables may follow rules and equations can lead you toward a predictable result. Unfortunately for Esther, the real world is considerably less cooperative, and things do not go according to her carefully hypothesized plan.

The first act is strong and clearly, convincingly sets up the stakes for the second act. Maya establishes his characters well, giving each individual clear motivations while building a growing sense of anticipation about what will happen when these very different people are finally forced into the same space.

The second act feels a bit wobblier. Secrets and plot twists begin arriving, but some storylines seem to get shelved along the way, while others leave you wondering why they were introduced in the first place.

Esther’s personal story, including the resolution of her wait for the results of two different things she's submitted, doesn't feel as fully developed as it should. Valentina’s adaptation of the podcast also feels a bit too rushed for someone who lives and breathes metrics, and the ending could use a moment to breathe and give us a little more insight into where these characters have landed.

Fortunately, the performances work together very well under Darvas’ direction. Turner is especially effective when Esther stops talking and simply watches the adults around her unravel. Chernow and Gallo make difficult characters feel human without excusing their behavior, while Ryan brings Sophia gentleness and conviction.

Patrick Mason ’s multilevel, three-room scenic design is great, along with Brad Dubois’ costumes, Ginger Chody’s lighting, and Jaden Guerrero’s sound design, creating a beautifully detailed world for the competing podcast studios and Esther’s home.

There is no magic equation for solving political division, or for fixing a culture that increasingly seems to prefer arguing at one another rather than actually talking. Mensa doesn’t pretend to have that answer, but it does offer a nice opening to start the conversation.

Mensa is playing at OnStage Playhouse through Sunday, September 13th. For ticket and showtime information, go to onstageplayhouse.org

Photo credit: Larissa Ryan, left, as Sophia and Isabella Turner as Esther (Daren Scott)

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/san-diego/article/Review-MENSA-at-OnStage-Playhouse-20260910)._