This article on IMDb is misleading. Actually, Nimoy doesn't play Vincent Van Gogh but his brother Theo. The history of one man shows is a noble one that goes back to the great Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight. Two other great examples are Henry Fonda in Clarence Darrow and James Whitmore in Give 'em Hell Harry. In Nimoy's autobiography, he mentioned working with Henry Fonda on a movie called The Alpha Caper and was inspired by his Darrow work to write this fine play. Van Gogh is looked upon today as our greatest artist, and yet in his lifetime he was looked upon as an eccentric lunatic. He only sold one painting in his entire life and was supported by his brother Theo. Nimoy gives an intense performance in character as Theo where he talks of his beloved brother. Most people think of Van Gogh as mad, indeed he did slice off his own ear. Nimoy was hosting the popular series In Search Of... when he did this show. He was so intrigued by Van Gogh's life that he did some investigating of his own and wrote an excellent In Search Of episode based on what he found. Nimoy went to France and researched Van Gogh's medical records and found out that what he actually suffered from was not insanity but epilepsy. There was a very moving scene at the end of the episode where Nimoy renacted Theo's last moments with his dying brother. He delivered a very moving monologue that I wish they had included in the play. Its just a shame that everyone just thinks of Leonard Nimoy as Mister Spock. He is very versatile and talented and this excellent piece of theater bears it out.
