SHIFT
presented by Jonas Goslow
Showtimes
Thu., Jul. 31 @ 10:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 2 @ 4:00 p.m.
Tue., Aug. 5 @ 6:00 p.m.
Thu., Aug. 7 @ 8:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 10 @ 12:00 p.m.
Show details
Venue: Bryant-Lake Bowl
Duration: 75 minutes
Created by Nick Ryan and Jonas Goslow
Genres: Comedy, Drama
Overall rating
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User reviews
Not a piece of Shift!
by Brant Miller Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I went to this show hoping it wouldn't be Nick Ryan's script taking a big Shift on stage. We'll this show surprised the Shift out of me. Jonas really has his shift together. Oh Shift! The Fringe is over. I guess its pretty Shiftty that you'll never get to experience this piece of Shift. Oh, another thing. I love the Bryant Lake Bowl, but that mock duck pad thai tastes like Shift.
Haiku Review
by Ben Thietje Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Nick Ryan writes well.
Goslow is a fine actor.
Erotic apple.
Complex & compelling writing and acting
by Florence Brammer Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I, too, had some trouble figuring out the connections of these subplots (e.g., was the teacher the Hive activist? I wasn't quite sure), but I still really admired and enjoyed this production. Really fine acting by Goslow.
Can it be said enough?
by Aida Leguizamon Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I have never been disappointed with any project attached to Nick Ryan or Jonas Goslow and this show was no exception. Certainly, I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to see a product of the pairing of these two talents, and neither should you.
To attempt to breakdown the contents of this show, I think, would not be doing it justice. I can say that it made me laugh, it made me uncomfortable, it made me think and is still sticking with me long after the curtain close. The best I can offer is the enthusiastic recommendation that everyone should go and find out for themselves. By far, the most captivating piece of theatre I have seen so far at the fringe this year.
Best of the Fringe...
by Derek Blechinger Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I've been Fringing for a number of years and this one takes a big ol' chomp out of the kitty cake. Incredibly presented by both the writer and actor in a way that doesn't patronize the audience... gotta love shows that give people credit for taking something in without needing to be told how to think about it. This approach of course is beautifully paired with the content and undertones of the show itself.
The script: witty and relevant. Very "Donny Darko" meets "Southland Tales"... nice work, Nick. I will keep an eye out for more of your work.
The actor: Jonas Goslow! This is an actor I've seen in a couple of different Guthrie productions, but never with this level of commitment and shining skill. Watching his character transformations speaks of talent, and theatre as a craft. Jonas gives a superb performance.
This is definitely a Fringe show worth seeing (and perhaps worth remounting???). Five kitties.
My vote for best of Fringe . . .
by Swizzy Wizzlecheeks Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
We all know Fringing is a lot like gambling. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. You develop little systems you think increase your odds. Sometimes you doubt the whole enterprise, and wonder what the hell you're doing. Then one day, you strike it big. "Shift" is my Fringe jackpot. An incredible show: funny, engaging, moving, at times confusing. It is the true magic that happens when a good script, good acting and good directing combine. Don't miss it.
Jonas!
by Mo Perry Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Jonas is truly amazing to watch in this show. I can't say I fully understood how all the different pieces of the script fit together, but each piece was so compelling in its own right that I still got a lot out of it. Bravo, Jonas!
Goslow is great!
by Lauren Asheim Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Jonas Goslow is the reason to see this show! His command of his craft is astounding. The detail in each character he has created really pays off in this one man show. His energy and emotional depth is infectious. The audience can't help but laugh and cry with this marvelous performer!
Amazingly acted!
by Mike Neuharth Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
A stunning performance by Goslow that anchors the piece and unites the four characters amid the shifting parallels of this show. His heart and expertise as an actor are more than worth the price of admission.
Excellent show
by Mark Ryan Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
You've got Earth-swallowing black holes, you've got an out-of-work evolutionist, you've a broken marriage, the HIVE, and even some dinosaurs. On top of all that you've got Jonas Goslow and Nick Ryan. What more could you ask for? I found the play quite engaging. The show was well thought-out, crisply paced and finely acted.
Ryan & Goslow Ask: Where Are 'We' Going?
by Don Shuler Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I liked this show quite a bit. I think it was masterfully performed. And it includes one of the most memorable scenes in this years fringe - a disgruntled school teacher who has just been fired attempting to explain to his class the idiocy of a voting population which simultaneously votes against smaller class size and for including creationist explanations for biological diversity. This scene is Nick Ryan at his best. He knows how to write these shows. The show is a complex piece which is seamlessly handled by Jonas Goslow. Mr. Goslow takes several distinct characters and develops each one until slowly the pieces begin to fit together - mostly - although I never quite understood how the Alice storyline linked up with the other stories (maybe it didn't).
Either way, the stories and their emotional cores resonate strongly with eachother. Overall, we can say Nick Ryan has once again challenged us all to think in a different way about the society that we are making and re-making everyday.
Blew me away!
by Derek Henderson Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
After seeing 20 Fringe shows, this is the strongest. Jonas gives an outstanding performance, each character is not only believable (including his seven-year-old), but sympathetic. I was never drawn out of the world of the play. Five kitties for Jonas Goslow and five kitties for playwright, Nick Ryan!
Cool.
by Lindsey McDonald Dorsey Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This is a show that gives its audience a lot of credit, offering up tons of information with myriad little connections while never spelling them out explicitly in a contrived âeureka!â moment.
Much of the dialog is fact-based, but never feels like a lecture, thanks to characters that are unique and deeply human, portrayed amazingly by Jonas Goslow. He owns every moment he is on stage, transitioning seamlessly between characters without letting them blur together, and allowing silences to breath without becoming empty.
Plus the parts with The Hive are super cool.
A must see!
by Greg Geiger Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Very unexpected and surprising twist from what the title enludes; but very creative in dealing with issues - policital, personal, and a two year old. The shorts alone are worth seeing this show!
science, politics, and you
by kit gordon Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
It's all part of the picture in this picture of contemporary life in the U.S. (with a special appearance by Europe's Large Hadron Collider). Nick Ryan's writing and Jonas Goslow's performance complement each other wonderfully well, as we're asked to look at our world and the issues, both personal and global, that confront us. Nice work!
Entropy and Ivory
by Nick Decker Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I expected the narratives to synch up into a cohesive story; only later did I figure out that they synched up in a cohesive theme: a study of how man deals with darkness ad chaos in his life. I do feel like I got "St. Elsewhere"'d, though.
A Pleasant Surprise
by Richard Heise Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
A bit fragmented but an interesting show and very well done. Better than what I anticipated from reading the description. Very enjoyable performance.
Good in a Fringe-y way
by Dave Larson Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This show is not for everyone, but I liked it. Jonas Goslow is a very good actor, and he brings a number of odd characters to life. It's got weird elements that may turn off some, but if you're a fan of Fringe-ness (and who isn't), then go see this show. I could have done without some of the hive stuff, and it's not quite a coherent whole, but Mr. Goslow is worth the price of admission.
