My Name Is Gideon: I’m Probably Going To Die, Eventually (2016) NYC Reviews and Tickets

"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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"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!"
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"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."
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"'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."
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"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."
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"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."
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"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."
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"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."
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