Theatre Review: The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs - Waterloo East Theatre ✭✭✭
The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs
Waterloo East Theatre
Review by Claire Spence
Thursday 7th February - The Waterloo East Theatre is a quant little venue which an estate agent might describe as ‘cosy’. The foyer/bar reminds me of the
‘theaters’ of New York that don’t waste expensive real estate on unnecessary
areas. Housed in a railway arch, a constant smell of damp and the odd rumble of
trains overhead remind you of the unusual setting. However, the theatrical
space itself is a good size, and certainly for a one man show.
Performer, Edward
Fromson, bursts onstage dressed in the style of Steve Jobs, save for an
orange shirt. At first we are led to believe he is the man himself however it
comes to pass that the nameless performer is a self-confessed geek simply
relaying and re-enacting stories from the early life of Jobs and the beginning
of the global empire which is Apple. This is interchanged with narration of the
performer’s journey to Shanzen, a once humble fishing village in South Shanghai,
now the world’s producing capital of technological goods, which feeds our thirst
for all things electrical… But this all comes at a price: for the beautiful,
shiny device in our pocket there is an underworld of 16 hour days, cramp
conditions and a deadly silence amongst the workers of “Foxconn”, who, we are
told, are responsible for producing 50% of our electrical goods, all handmade. But,
the message is clear, “The way a product is made is crucial to the design”.
Fromson, recovering from a virus, gallantly went ahead with
the production referring to his notes when needed. However, this sometimes made
his performance slow and slightly laboured; yet, I am confident that once
Fromson is back to good health his monologue will flow more efficiently. Personally,
I thought there was a lot of unnecessary swearing, nevertheless, writer Mike Daisey’s humorous anecdotes raised
more than one laugh from me and embodied the power, ruthlessness and genius of
Steve Jobs and the desperate situation facing this foreign workforce.
I would have liked director Nasser Memarzia to have brought the performer downstage more often,
as even though the fourth wall was broken with Fromson talking directly to the audience;
he mainly stayed a safe distance from us behind a desk. Although the times he
did make his way down to the front his face was slightly in the shadows.
The choices Designer Damien
Stanton made were sufficient and simple for the size of the space; centre
stage saw a white table and white chair, not too dissimilar to the Ikea variety
and a clear bulb hanging directly overhead. White panels dropped diagonally
from the wall down to the stage area. This neutral set was cleverly
complimented by Derek Anderson’s
lighting design which effectively denotes a change in time and place.
What I liked about this production of The Agony and Ecstasy
of Steve Jobs (version 2.0) is it gets you thinking; seriously thinking about
the conditions of these faceless workers in China and what it takes to get these
sought-after devices in your possession. Importantly, contained within the
programme is an information sheet detailing different ways in which you yourself
can take action to make a change in this commonplace practice, so hopefully the
production will not be in vain. I feel this is an important and poignant piece
of theatre in today’s society of commercialism and consumerism. As Daisey
writes, “In a world of silence, speaking is action”.
Three stars ✭✭✭
Listings Information
Producer: David Adkin in association with the Waterloo East Theatre.
Venue: Waterloo East Theatre Brad Street London SE1
Dates: 5–24 February 2013; Tues-Sat at 7.30pm, Sun at 4pm.
Press Night: Thursday 7th February 2013 at 7.30pm
Tickets: £12/10. Previews (5th & 6th Feb) £10. Pay What You Can Night Tues 12th Feb. Box Office: www.waterlooeast.co.uk / 020 7928 0060
Venue: Waterloo East Theatre Brad Street London SE1
Dates: 5–24 February 2013; Tues-Sat at 7.30pm, Sun at 4pm.
Press Night: Thursday 7th February 2013 at 7.30pm
Tickets: £12/10. Previews (5th & 6th Feb) £10. Pay What You Can Night Tues 12th Feb. Box Office: www.waterlooeast.co.uk / 020 7928 0060
