Fringe Show Reviews

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs

Written by: Adapted from the monologue by Mike Daisey

Presented by: District Theatre Collective, Winnipeg, MB

Venue 26: The Folk Exchange

Our Rating: Your Average Rating:

07/19/2012 5:02 PM | Comments: 0

Even as late Apple leader Steve Jobs’ life fades into the distance, our lives are shaped in the image he approved. But to what ends?

In this thought-provoking show, adapted from a controversial monologue by American writer Mike Daisey, Winnipeg’s District Theatre Collective pits Jobs hagiography against the bleak tech-factory fiefdoms of Shenzhen, China. It is by turns bright and funny and deeply disturbing, a sort of hipster love-hate letter.

Still, this adaptation needs work. On opening night, the four experienced performers nailed dramatic and comedic highlights but had a shakier grasp of the rest of the script; the balance between pop-culture paean and anti-corporate rallying cry felt a little off. But these are nano-sized complaints in a show with a very un-Jobsy amount of battery life.

— Melissa Martin

From the Fringe program:

A razor-sharp, witty, hilarious and harrowing tale of pride, beauty, lust and industrial design.

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs illuminates how Apple's technology shapes our lives and follows the trail all the way to China to investigate the factories where millions toil to make iPhones and iPods.

This controversial play shines a light on our love affair with our devices, the human cost of creating them and the lengths we go to expose the truth.

Recommended For: Mature Audience

Length: 90 min

Tickets: $10

Warnings: Language

History

Updated on Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 5:02 PM CDT:
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