Attempting to retell the story of someone as iconic of the modern age as Steve Jobs will naturally present a challenge, particularly as books and films have combed over every aspect of his life in incredibly fine detail. However Joel Goodman and Stephen Smith comfortably rise to this challenge, putting on a performance as captivating as any of Jobs’ conference appearances, with some of the finest musical and technical talent on display.
A performance as enrapturing as any of Jobs’ conference appearances
Recounting Jobs’ life story, from his adoption through to the founding of Apple computers and ultimately the development of the Mac and iPhone, Smith’s performance as Jobs not only gets the lookalike down brilliantly, but is able to capture the mannerisms of the man himself, easily drawing you into every aspect of his life and getting across the passion felt by Jobs over his work. Combined with an incredibly strong vocal talent, and an enrapturing soundtrack that ranged from songs concerning Jobs’ feelings towards his adoption, his elation at his success with Apple or his joys taking LSD in his youth, Smith is able to bring a large amount of humour and raw emotion to a story so often concerned with just success.
No mention of Jobs can come without talking about his technology, something that even the set cannot escape. There are four iMacs on stage and Smith seamlessly interacts with these throughout the show, bringing in their visuals effectively, be they setting the date or playing some of Apple's most iconic advertising. Such usage of technology within the set complements Smith’s acting marvellously. Combined with a script interlaced with natural references to every aspect of both Jobs' and Apple's histories, Joel Goodman’s work acts as a wonderful love letter to the development of one of the most important computer forces in history.
Putting on a one-man show with the scale required for a musical is itself a challenge, much more when the subject matter is a figure as titanic as Steve Jobs. Early Morning Productions is able to knock it out of the park with a technical and dramatic marvel more than worth the watch and something which should easily be a part of everyone’s Fringe planners.
