My Name Is Gideon: I’m Probably Going To Die, Eventually
All for One Theater presents the U.S. premiere of Gideon Irving's autobiographical solo show, featuring stories and songs from his global adventures.
As a theatrical couch-surfing troubadour, Gideon Irving has hopped from one town to the next on bike, Rollerblades, and automobiles, performing and sleeping in the homes of perfect strangers. Now, with his banjo Rossana under his arms, Gideon invites audiences into his own living room on the NY stage.
- Official Site
- View Trailer
- 1 hour and 40 minutes
- Already closed
- Rattlestick Theatre (West Village)
Cast & Creatives (9)
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Reviews (63)
20 Critics' Reviews
"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." Full Review
"‘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." Full Review
"There’s no denying Irving has talent radiating from him. He’s so gifted that his eagerness to share those gifts keeps him from knowing when to stop: at the 60-minute mark would have been fine...He sings several songs he’s written...Throughout he indulges surprise activities that often rely on audience participation...But Gideon is a talented man, and I’m going to be tolerant of a show that began cheerfully and fresh but slowly transformed into the somewhat irritating." Full Review
"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." Full Review
"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." Full Review
"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." Full Review
"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." Full Review
"It’s better than the cold side of the pillow on a hot night. More freeing than riding your BMX on the sidewalk at age 11, has more layers than a Japanese-inspired crepe cake at Lady M’s, more surprising than your sister’s diary, and more heartbreaking than the love letter you never sent...Gideon Irving is an epic talent with a voice that melts marshmallows...He is a gifted storyteller and wily wordsmith...It's sunshine after the rain, people–just go and see it!" Full Review
"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." Full Review
"Irving carries the energy of a one-man, nearly two-hour show with laser-sharp focus and deliberate storytelling. He makes it feel so natural and effortless that the evening is more like one spent with a dear friend...Delightful surprises and fantastic music support the magic Irving spins. One surprise turns into a song, which folds into a story, which intersects with another, creating a brilliant, sparkling web of joy. This is a piece that earns rapt attention and investment." Full Review
"'My Name is Gideon' is a balm for what ails the psyche. There is magic in his work, and I don’t just mean the playing cards…As a performer, Gideon is unassuming but obviously insanely creative. He and his production team have created a lovely, intricate, wholly safe space for people to come and experience something different and quietly wonderful. He’s a talented songwriter, too, and his music is the kind that uplifts and helps you forget what you left behind on the outside." Full Review
"The actual theatrical constructs of 'My Name Is Gideon' are loose, mainly because...why shouldn’t they be? This is Gideon Irving’s show and you get the sense that it gives him immeasurable joy to have you there with him as he shows off his space in a way that’s completely devoid of any pretension...A piece full of wonder that focuses on joy in a way that doesn’t deflect from the now but rather reminds us of the good people in the world." Full Review
"Gideon’s performance was inspiring. He is a master of instruments and a passionate singer/songwriter. He really leaves it all on the stage and bares his soul...Audience participation was a huge part of the show, and it was done right...The direction, by Wright, was organic and stayed in line with who Gideon is. He let the performer inspire his direction...A must see...This show is funny. This show is clever. This show is thought-provoking. This show will make your week." Full Review
"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." Full Review
"Part musical, part stand-up comedy, (very small) part magic act, and part intriguing night in a complete stranger’s living room, 'My Name Is Gideon: I’m Probably Going to Die, Eventually' is far from a one-trick pony...Irving holds the audience captive with his unique and magnetic personality, weaving seemingly unrelated tales into a singular work that makes the audience feel connected to and intrigued by Irving’s life." Full Review
for a previous production "'My Name is Gideon' continues to flout conventional music and cabaret form but it's no less engaging. Much of this is to do with Irving's endearingly coy delivery, which renders him part clown and part musical genius. His lyrics are closer to poetry than formal ballads but it's the manipulation of sound that characterizes his work...It's lighthearted, occasionally silly and wholly entertaining." Full Review
for a previous production "Irving conjures a sense of gentle showmanship scaled down to a charming, lo-fi level as he tells stories and sings. There are a couple of magic tricks, a few simple visual gags. But it’s the songs that make this show...Irving is an easy man to like, an endlessly interesting raconteur and a talented multi-instrumentalist. The show would be a delight in any living room; it’s certainly a delight here." Full Review
for a previous production "There’s an intimacy to the performance, no doubt honed in hundreds of living-room performances, and it was impossible to resist the pull of Irving’s charisma. The show itself is often funny, sometimes moving, and constantly punctuated by songs that are incredibly sophisticated, both musically and lyrically...Unclassifiable? Yes. Unmissable? Undoubtedly." Full Review
for a previous production "Even if his music isn’t your style, he sings with such passion and ability it’s impossible to not be captivated. Skilled in several instruments (and objects that make sounds) and armed with his wonderfully dry and incongruous sense of humour, Gideon leads the audience through the show with cheerful precision and confidence...If you hope to see something a little different and be part of Gideon’s personal odyssey, then go see this show. You will not be disappointed." Full Review
for a previous production "A unique blend of musical gizmos, an impressive vocal range and treats of different varieties: his show is warm, honest, a little bit silly and full of surprises. His name is Gideon and his show is a sweet little treat – like a warm cookie melts in your mouth, Gideon Irving’s voice melts your ears, and his charm can melt your heart." Full Review
43 Members' Reviews
See it if you appreciate humor, originality, quirkiness and charm. Take a date, take your kids, take anyone who likes to smile.
Don't see it if you want a storyline, character development or anything of substance.
See it if Light, humorous one person variety act with songs, stories, and jokes. Good connection with the audience.
Don't see it if You would like something deeper or more intense. My mind wavered at times.
See it if You enjoy witty self-deprecating humor put to music in a somewhat interactive stand-up routine.
Don't see it if You are expecting a play. This is for those who enjoy edgy or loosely defined shows.
Also Great performance. Loved his voice in every way. There were moments of... Read more Read less
See it if you enjoy off-beat, unfocused, but entertaining one-man shows without a plot.
Don't see it if you want songs that have substance, not just charm...or if you need a show that is tight, focused, and well-edited.
See it if You enjoy seeing something unlike anything you've ever seen before, or if you like unusual musical instruments.
Don't see it if You are looking for a show with a plot.
See it if If you like an intriguing contemporary work along the lines of Andy Kaufman and Pee-Wee Herman.
Don't see it if If you don't like non-linear, self absorbed, semi-autobiographical vignettes (with music).
See it if you want to be entertained by a talented unique showman. Even when Gideon is using some cabaret tropes, he does it in his own fresh way.
Don't see it if you won't like a 1-man show with audience participation and no plotline or much depth that runs slightly long, but I was always entertained.
Also If you liked the quiet intimate humor of Gorey, you will probably like... Read more Read less
See it if you are interested in a really eccentric solo musical evening with a charming and very goofy host.
Don't see it if you hate solo shows with audience participation and songs that have little musical interest beyond the quirkiness of their performance.
Also It's a bit like a New York, grown-up Pee Wee's Playhouse.
See it if The entire theater is decorated, warm cookies served, many set malfunctions deliberate. Fun show - like a "Pee Wee's Playhouse".
Don't see it if Runs quite long at almost 2 hours. Many of the songs can be cut as the actor isn't the greatest singer.
See it if You like solo shows with no thru line, quirky anecdotes, good music, charming stories with no depths and a relaxed atmosphere.
Don't see it if You need a plot that gets you from point A to point B in a atraight manner.
See it if you enjoy performance art. Gideon is very engaging. Love all the Christmas lights, blue balls and cookies.
Don't see it if You want a traditional play with a beginning, middle and end. But it's fun.
See it if You want an utterly escapist night out. Unique and delightful, Gideon is so engaging that you will be swept up by it. Resistance is futile!
Don't see it if Don't like non-trad theater, or are not able to go along for the ride. Gideon's a truly likable soul with a big talent, bigger heart. Loved.
Also I was very stressed and not feeling well when I arrived at the theater... Read more Read less
See it if you want to experience unique story telling & singing; if you love surprises; if laughter fills your soul with warmth.
Don't see it if you are looking for a standard venue and dislike even a small bit of audience interaction.
Also This experience was so much fun I would go again. Gideon is very talen... Read more Read less
See it if you want to experience genius. Gideon is brilliant and hilarious and you never know what's coming next.
Don't see it if you're expecting a drama.
See it if you like amazing true stories, great songs sang by amazing performers, and out-of-the-box staging ideas
Don't see it if A one-man show is not your idea of a satisfying theatre presentation.
See it if You like different, 1 man shows. What a smart talented young man Gideon is. 1st yr not sure what's happening but then dont want it to end!
Don't see it if You don't like quirky, off beat, somewhat interactive humorous 1-man shows.
See it if ...no if.. I'd say you must!! Highly recommended show, once in a lifetime experience, you won't regret I assure you.
Don't see it if you totally hate one man's show
See it if You would like a fun night with a show that literally goes all over the map--and gives you a yummy chocolate cookie.
Don't see it if A charming performer acting for audience participation is not your idea of fun.
See it if you like very amateur cabaret show with little singing and most of time aimless talking and low-tech props for cheap laughs
Don't see it if you don't want to waste an evening
See it if you enjoy one man performance art and physical comedy similar to Pee Wee's Playhouse. You are drunk.
Don't see it if twee performance art and irony get on your nerves. You want a show with an emotional center. You dislike physical comedy. You aren't drunk.
Also I truly wanted to like this show, but it lack an emotional center or e... Read more Read less
See it if you'd enjoy a quirky multi-talented one man show. He goes from heart warming to hysterical to goofy and back again. Beautiful song & story.
Don't see it if you're going to be a drag darling. Gideon taps is joy and happiness reigns supreme. If you're not going to play along don't spoil the fun.
See it if you enjoy physical humor, international folk music and audience participation. It has the most complex, best low tech set ever.
Don't see it if you value consistency. Without plot the show is a series of quasi-related songs, activities and stories. Some are amusing; some are just odd
See it if 1 of the best I've seen-but not 4 everyone! Expansive & imaginative, this guy gives you an adult fairyale for a way to live. Intimate/funny~
Don't see it if If a storyteller w/an off the hook sense of humour isn't your thing. If you're tightly wound or judgemental-and dislike audience interaction
See it if you appreciate unstructured, energetic, frenetic to bizarre, novel, audience-interactive solo Millennial musical comedy in a unique set
Don't see it if you need plot, structure, contextual theme and melody or have a short attention span (two hours of performance art without intermission)
See it if You want to be entertained. You want to see something totally different and wonderful. You like a one man show. You want to laugh.
Don't see it if You are not ready for something different. You don't want to be totally entertained. You don't want to laugh. You don't like a one man show.
Also Never a dull moment during the performance. I never saw anything like ... Read more Read less