By Matthew Wexler
A writer in need of creative inspiration. A secluded cabin in the woods with no cell phone service. The thriller trope nearly writes itself in David Cale’s new solo play, The Unknown, starring a quirky and commanding Sean Hayes. Except for one not-so-minor detail. Are we watching the victim or the perpetrator?
Hayes’ Elliot, a late 40s creative who produces mostly “monologues” for a living, spirals into obsession after discovering an actor he once rejected for a role starts getting too close for comfort. Hoping to turn the events into subject matter for a new solo show, Elliot becomes increasingly attracted to his stalker’s twin brother.
Hayes, whose 11 seasons as the narcissistic Jack on Will & Grace, won a Tony Award for his searing portrayal of Oscar Levant in Good Night, Oscar. The actor’s latest move to Studio Seaview’s intimate Off-Broadway space delivers a strategic pay-off.
When obsession becomes inspiration
Under Leigh Silverman’s nuanced direction, Hayes delivers a charismatic, unnerving performance, embodying not only the central character and his mentally unstable follower but also Elliot’s longtime best friend (and voice of reason) and wife. Not quite as shape-shifting as Sarah Snook’s 26-character turn in The Picture of Dorian Gray, Hayes only has himself to rely on amid Studio Bent’s minimalist scenic design and Cha See’s controlled, film noir lighting.
Studio executives perk up at Elliot’s screenplay pitch, even name-dropping Jude Law as potential casting. But Elliot bristles, “It’s still only half an idea. Half an idea is as useless as no idea. The idea has to keep going till it reaches fruition.”
At a brisk 75 minutes, Hayes remains captivating, even if Cale’s play meanders a bit in the brothers’ backstory, and plot points, such as a stolen set of apartment keys, feel lifted from an episode of Law & Order. But no matter. By the time the curtain falls, you won’t be sure who’s been writing the story all along. And that’s precisely the point.
4 out of 5 stars
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Fast facts: ‘The Unknown’
Hayes transforms his charisma in this twisty thriller, though the play’s ambition occasionally exceeds its 75-minute grasp—still, you won’t look away.
- Studio Seaview, 305 West 43rd Street, New York City
- Running time: 75 minutes
- Performances through April 12, 2026
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