The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs

Synopsis

A harrowing yet hilarious tale exploring the legality and morality of electronic sweatshops in China, complete with armed guards, underage workers and an insight into the toxic effects of hexane. Meet Steve Jobs and the Chinese workers toiling to make our beloved iPhones. Mike Daisey's monologue is an emboldened, passionate diatribe that will make you question what you thought you knew about one of the world's most worshipped brands. This is one of the most talked about pieces of theatre to come out of the USA in the last few years and has not been without controversy. This is a tale that was broadcast and subsequently retracted from the popular radio programme This American Life; a tale that has clearly gotten under the skin of audiences and media alike. As a self-confessed ?worshipper at the church of Apple', Daisey tugs at heart strings, and demonstrates how one man's story might not be able to topple an empire, but it can certainly give it a righteous shove.

Our Review:

8 February 2013

Switching my phone back on after Edward Fromson’s performance of Mike Daisey's The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs was difficult. I have an iPhone. An iPhone that, I suppose I thought, had simply popped into existence; as if Steve Jobs had simply snapped his fingers and millions of the things had suddenly appeared neatly piled in their bubble wrap packaging. Except I didn’t think. Before tonight, I gave no thought whatsoever to how my own little phone had come into the world. I didn’t care. The point is that I had it, and, in having it, could claim myself as part of the new religion Apple and its saviour Steve Jobs.

Daisey’s monologue seeks to, with a large dose of animation and humour, dismantle the previously guilt free relationship I had with my phone, and indeed many of today’s gadgets. In interweaving the story of Jobs’ rise to power with his own experience of visiting the Chinese factories in which Apple product...

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Latest User Review

Say no to upgrades - 14 February 2013:

What an expose! The rotten Apple reeks of enforced inhumane labour practices. The dramatic performance by Edward Fromson certainly brings to your attention the large corporation's abusive exploits....

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