"A mishmash of twangy songs and stories about his mother, his friends and his travels. Other odds and ends are tossed in: jokes, audience participation, a magic trick. A few run on a little long, but there’s charm in that shagginess, and in Mr. Irving’s folksy and welcoming manner. He’s the school nerd who you discover is pretty cool, once you tune in to his quirkiness...He’s so easygoing and free of cynicism that you may contemplate hosting him, too. I’ve considered inviting him to my place."
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"I still don't have a handle on the project, but it doesn't matter. Gideon's profound good nature immediately draws you in and holds your attention. He is an innocent, wise troubadour with a peaceful if wildly eccentric presence...To call 'My Name is Gideon' unconventional hardly captures the imaginative power of the work in (perpetual) progress...If this sounds crazy to you, you're not alone. But Gideon, who lives life on his own terms, makes you believe in him."
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"‘My Name is Gideon’ has a definite shaggy-dog charm…Given his ability to earn laughs from his deadpan delivery, Irving comes across like some kind of apex of hipster humor…He is sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and sometimes plain mystifying, but he has the power to hold an audience in his hand…It is the damnedest thing I've seen all season, a nutball special that, against the odds, proves to be surprisingly amusing right up to its time-tripping finale."
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"A quirky and enjoyable performance-art extravaganza…It could benefit from editing that would bring more focus to its entertaining features. There’s no great sense of profundity when it’s over but there has been a deep, communal bond between the audience and the performer…’My Name Is Gideon: I’m Probably Going To Die, Eventually’ is a terrific showcase for Irving’s considerable and idiosyncratic gifts. Its unruliness reflects his appealing freewheeling sensibility."
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"A playful rumination on journeys and who we were a long time ago. Happily based in a space of magical realism, it will tickle you and leave you with surprising poignancy…The musical performances of the show are entrancingly engaging with beautiful, haunting images and raw exposed nerves...Gideon is part whirling dervish, part prop comic, and the effect is dazzling…With playfulness and sensitivity, 'My Name is Gideon' will take you on the journey of a lifetime."
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"You are offered warm and loving sustenance in many forms. The tunes are all by Irving. He accompanies himself on instruments that are sometimes recognizable and often are not. Irving’s voice is perhaps the most important calling card of this show, with its huge range, with which he accompanies himself on each instrument with wondrous nuance and ululating resonance...Come with an open heart. Heart, head, stomach, and sense of humor are filled and thrilled by this production."
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"A charming and entertaining evening...What Gideon delivers best is his music...His melodies are folksy and blue-grassy, with elements of African rhythms. And his voice is resonant, with a surprising range that takes him to the stratosphere when he hits his falsetto...The problem here is that I’m not sure Gideon’s show translates to a theater venue...Interestingly enough, the show needs to be a little more personal...And although I had a pleasant evening, I walked out feeling a little empty."
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"There's no storyline or shape of any kind...The songs are pretty but intentionally abstruse. Part stand-up routine, part performance art, 'My Name is Gideon' comes across as though a clever college kid were showing off for his buddies...Irving is 30 years old and I'd like to see him do something less puerile. Taylor Mac takes a similar grab-bag approach to his work but uses his talent and eccentricities to explore matters of substance. Irving has the goods to do the same."
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