The March 2026 English-language production of Labyrinth completed its run at the Newtown Stage in New York. Directed by Zoé Zifer with stage management by Silvana Salazar, the performance served as a powerful reminder of how live theatre can capture the anxiety of contemporary life. The chaos of the narrative is anchored by a stunning performance from Isabel Criado, whose vibrant, fast-talking, and emotionally layered portrayal immediately draws the audience into the story.
The plot tracks a messy web of infidelity centered on “The Guy in the White T-Shirt” (Juan C. Ortiz), who is in a five-year relationship with his girlfriend, Sofia (Martina Demaio), while simultaneously entangled with a new lover, “Her” (Isabel Criado). The play unfolds through the internal monologues of all three characters, creating moments of dramatic irony that pull us directly into their anxieties, insecurities, and spiraling thoughts.
Though the set is simple, the staging remains dynamic. Using only a few blocks and several quick costume changes, the actors successfully create a rich theatrical world. The ensemble constantly reconfigures itself to communicate shifts in perspective and emotional focus, while the lighting design effectively highlights moments of heightened tension and revelation. A video sequence incorporated midway through the production adds another dimension to the storytelling and serves as a particularly effective theatrical device.
As I watched the play, it occurred to me that whenever I am anxiously waiting for a text from a prospective situationship or carefully crafting the “perfect message” of my own, the person on the other end may be doing the same. Relationships become a game where we project idealized versions of ourselves, often built on assumptions rather than reality. What we know about the other person is usually limited to what they choose to reveal. As Labyrinth demonstrates, that can leave out crucial information.
Criado’s performance is the production’s greatest strength. The mark of a great actor is the feeling that you are in good hands, that every moment belongs exactly where it should. That is the feeling Isabel Criado inspires in Labyrinth. From the moment she steps on stage, her expressive presence commands attention. As “Her,” she delivers the character’s internal monologue with remarkable honesty and precision, making it feel as though we are experiencing every hope, doubt, and heartbreak alongside her. She balances subtlety with intensity, shifting effortlessly between humor, vulnerability, and emotional devastation. The audience laughs with her quick flashes of energy and falls silent during moments of painful realization.
What makes Criado particularly compelling is her ability to continuously reshape the audience’s perspective. At times, she appears fully in control of the narrative; at others, she becomes vulnerable to forces beyond her understanding. This fluidity reveals a sophisticated understanding of both character and text. Even in the production’s most dreamlike sequences, she maintains complete command of the stage, grounding the emotional reality of the play while adding unique layers and idiosyncrasies that make the character feel fresh and deeply human.
A particularly intense scene in a club bathroom, followed by a devastating confrontation, stands out as one of the evening’s most visceral moments. Criado’s emotional range throughout these sequences is extraordinary. Every line feels deliberate, every reaction authentic. By the end of the performance, the audience is so invested in her journey that her character’s ongoing emotional distress becomes genuinely heartbreaking to witness. She is undoubtedly an artist to watch.
Labyrinth succeeds because it understands something fundamental about contemporary relationships: the stories we tell ourselves can be just as powerful as the reality in front of us. Through sharp writing, inventive staging, and a truly exceptional central performance from Isabel Criado, the production transforms that insight into an engaging and emotionally resonant theatrical experience.
