created and performed by mike daisey
directed by jean-michele gregory
main season | thrust stage
january 11–february 27, 2011
Running times:
Each show runs roughly 2 hours, no intermission
the plays
The New York Times dubbed Mike Daisey “the master storyteller” and “one of the finest solo performers of his generation.” Our audiences loved Great Men of Genius, The Ugly American and 21 Dog Years: Doing Time @ Amazon.com. Now Daisey returns to Berkeley Rep in an incredible doubleheader: two provocative new monologues that examine our obsession with commerce. With his wry eye and eccentric intellect, Daisey delivers two adventure stories—presented on different days—that cut deep with hilarious social critique.
- In The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs, Daisey dives into the epic story of a real life Willy Wonka. He examines how the CEO of Apple and his obsessions profoundly shape our everyday lives—and travels to China to investigate the factories where millions toil to make iPhones and iPods. This dangerous journey shines a brilliant light on our love affair with our devices and the human cost of creating them.
- With The Last Cargo Cult, another improbably true story, Daisey visits a remote island in the South Pacific whose inhabitants worship America and its goods at the base of an erupting volcano. He witnesses their rituals as the world’s financial system collapses, spurring a soul-searching assessment of what money means and who is paying the price.
the players
Mike Daisey’s monologues, 15 and counting, have been seen across the country and around the world. Weaving together autobiography and gonzo journalism, they tell hilarious and heartbreaking stories that cut to the bone.
Jean-Michele Gregory focuses on unscripted, extemporaneous works. Her shows ranked among the best plays of 2009 in New York Magazine, TheaterMania and Time Out New York.
the buzz
About The Last Cargo Cult
“Scintillating…Daisey applies his robust comic style and challenging insights to the aftermath of the banking meltdown…No other monologist rants as captivatingly as Daisey, or copes so incisively with the transgressive topic of money…Between regaling us with the comic and telling details of our shopping habits and the islanders’ worship of Western material goods—‘the same religion we practice today’—Daisey plunges into thought-provoking looks at the artificial value of money and the ‘pyramid scheme’ of international finance.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“Hilarious, provocative…Not only does he know where to find a story, but he knows how to tell is better than just about anyone…Sometimes laconic, occasionally folksy and full to the brim with killer-cogent observations…with rafter-rattling screams and strings of world-class profanity…Daisey is a delightful performer with a mastery of words…Amazing!”—San Jose Mercury News / Bay Area News Group
About The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs
“In one of the indefatigable raconteur’s most tightly constructed, passionate and socially engaged monologues yet, Daisey’s anger and biting comedy stem from his heartbreak as a former longtime ‘worshiper in the house of Mac.’ Together with The Last Cargo Cult, which Daisey is performing in repertory with this piece, Agony fills out a trenchant and funny critique of what might be the most deeply held, if unacknowledged, beliefs in our culture.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“A wisecracking cross between Michael Moore and Spalding Gray, the rubber-faced performer fuses the high-voltage nerviness of standup with a muckraker’s sense of gonzo journalism…one of the most trenchant pieces of political theater to come down the pike in ages.”—San Jose Mercury News / Bay Area News Group
“Master storyteller Mike Daisey’s one-man-show The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs is a theater piece that every Apple fan should see. It’s a laugh-out-loud monologue about the world of Apple, but it delivers an important message…I laughed my head off for two hours, but I left feeling ashamed to turn my iPhone back on. The show is highly recommended. If you’re coming to Macworld this week, head across the Bay to Berkeley (it’s an easy BART ride) and check out Daisey’s show. It’s an eye-opener.”—Cult of Mac
multimedia
from the blog
Fanboy flame wars
The comment boards are lighting up at tech sites.
Mike Daisey goes to Macworld
…and Twitter. Read about his field trip.
