Steve Jobs: The Agony and the Ecstasy

New play promises to show us the agony and the ecstasy of Apple CEO Steve Jobs
New play promises to show us the agony and the ecstasy of Apple CEO Steve Jobs

A new play about tight-ship-running Apple CEO Steve Jobs is set to be staged at California's Berkeley Theatre early next year, penned by one of America's leading playwrights.

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs is to be staged in Berkeley in January 2011, with writer Mike Daisey having been praised by the New York Times in the past as being "the master storyteller" and "one of the finest solo performers of his generation."

Daisey will not be performing his monologue, however, with another performer still to be charged with that daunting role.

Real-life Willy Wonka

Berkeley Rep describes that play as Daisey diving "into the epic story of a real-life Willy Wonka whose personal obsessions profoundly affect our everyday lives—and follows the trail to China where millions toil in factories to create iPhones and iPods.

"With his wry eye and eccentric intellect, Daisey delivers [an] adventure story that cuts deep with hilarious social critique," adds the blurb on the theatre's website.

No word from Apple, as is to be expected, although we would love to be a fly on the wall when Mr Jobs is informed about the play, particularly the bit where he is described as a 'real life Willy Wonka'!

And Jobs is sure to be unimpressed at any further investigations – journalistic, artistic or otherwise – that serve to highlight the questionable practices of some Apple contractors and factories in China, following a recent slew of news stories about the issue of child labour in those same factories.

Via Berkley Rep theatre

Adam Hartley