schedule
Urban Samurai Productions
Livelihood
Thu., Jul. 30 @ 10:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 2 @ 2:30 p.m.
Mon., Aug. 3 @ 8:30 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 7 @ 7:00 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 9 @ 4:00 p.m.
Warning! Adult language
Venue U of M Rarig Center Thrust
For ages 16+
Web site http://www.urbansamurai.org
Overall rating
User reviews
Average
by Heather Smith Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
While I thought the actors did an excellent job, I wasn't totally thrilled by the story. It took a surprising turn, which is okay, but was a little too manic for too long for my taste.
Hmmm...
by Micah Bruce Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
This didn't go where I thought it would go...and that's my problem. In fact, after a little while, I got a little lost. However, the actors were good and the pacing was exceptional. In the end, though, I was disappointed. And then I was mad at myself for feeling that way. So maybe this was a 4 or 5 for some, but not for me.
interesting characters
by brenda atkins Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
this show had a lot of funny moments. the characters had a clear point of view and their interactions were humorous. i'm not critic but i felt like it started to get a bit too out there towards the end. i didn't really understand the whole police thing. however, i was glad to see some acting and the interview that makes everyone remember their worst interview. good job!
committed performances, amusing dialog
by Thomas Foster Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
When this play started, I thought, "Okay, I've seen this one. Terry Jones wants a job, and Jon Cleese isn't going to give it to him." The similarities didn't end with the beginning. But if you know that reference, you sould still see this. The Pythons had to finish a sketch in 5 minutes, and did not explore drama. Before seeing this play, I would have said neither of those traits were limitations, but Christopher found a deeper, engaging story hidden in this famous confection.
Needs Work!
by dixie treichel Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
Needs work! We get the interview idea after 10 minutes. 2 characters-one who screams the whole play (except for a few minutes) and one who plays the rag doll the whole play (except a for few minutes)...characters need dynamic range and depth. Script has potential. Try transforming the vaudeville/slapstick into ironic satire.
great acting, meh script
by jennifer phillips Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I felt as though it would have been more powerful as a ten minute play. First show by this company, I look forward to more.
Seismic shift
by re gurgitate Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I will say that I've laughed more at this show than any other this fringe. That said, I felt, as have most other reviewers, as if the story would have been better served remaining a full on comedy, than getting hit with the unexpected drama sandbag. But, it's the writers choice, and what is here is still definitely worth seeing.
Meh...
by Jazzy Faye Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
Good actors but not a very solid script and the lack of levels for something that was supposed to build to something was extremely disappointing. I ended up not caring and checking my phone to see what time the hour would be over.
It's So.....Real!
by Jim Pounds Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Wow! Two great performances in a disturbing play. I don't know if it is disturbing for dramatic reasons or disturbing because it is only a little bit of an exageration. You could hear the awkward laughter of recognition in the audience as Livlihood cut pretty close to the bone. Despite the apparent absurdity, I knew I was seeing the coming together of corporate insanity and the desperation of the individual to survive in a society where no one cares if you survive or not. Well written, well directed and spookily brought to life by Matt and Nate. It was all I could do to keep from throwing up my Jimmy John's sandwhich in the parking lot!
Really funny
by Eric Netterlund Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This show was funny. Very funny. I really dig the dark humor of the script.
That being said, I also felt like as an audience member this show either needed to be twenty minutes shorter or to add another plot point. The first forty minutes were funny, but they kept rehashing the same thing. The job interview. The director did an amazing job keeping the whole thing packing a kinetic punch and the actors played their characters very well.
If you like dark humor I'd recommend seeing this show.
I hate writing titles...
by Sarah Holmberg Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
I went in not knowing what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised to find a good production. Not great, but really good. Both actors were committed and hitting their beats just right. The technical elements were well done (with the exception of a minor quibble on some props, but I have a hard time looking past those). Excellent directing as well. I wouldn't have guessed that this show had so little time to come together. It was really a fun experience.
The only thing keeping it from getting the full five kitties is the script. I wanted it to do something that it didn't, and that's fine, but it had a little too much retread on itself as it went along. One less loop around that beat would have cleaned it up and moved it along nicely.
Extreme Interviewing, to the Max!
by Katie Starks Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I found this show to be intensely comical and dangerously relevant to the current climate in the business world. This show is filled with dark, over the top humor and is delivered solidly by both actors. I cannot believe they only had 10 rehearsals! Amazing.
Mostly Deft
by Erik Hoover Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Having seen two intensely emotional US shows in which Matt Greseth shows amazing amounts of vulnerability, fearlessness seems to be a defining strength of this emerging company.
Sometimes the rawness of the material gets the better of them however. The unexpected shift in the last quarter of Livelihood comes too late for the audience, who's been pushed past the point of fatigue by the psychological assault borne by Nate Hessburg's character, Jason.
Intense.
by Valerie Rigsbee Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Excellent acting, but I wish the show had started at a lower and more realistic level so it had somewhere to amplify to. I felt the actors were pushing a little too hard by the end because the script had left them nowhere else to go.
Locked in mad encounter
by William Beeman Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Matt Greseth and Nate Hessburg create a fantastic synergistic duo on stage as a hapless job seeker and an out of control job interviewer. Greseth manages split-second comic timing and manic craziness reducing Hessberg to a puddle of confusion and dismay. This play fulfills Freud's observation that most humor involves aggression. This most aggressive comedy assaults the audience's sensibilities as they watch in horror wondering what Greseth's Torquemada interviewer can inflict on his poor victim next. The play itself runs out of material toward the end, leaving only one possible denouement. But it has been a very wild ride up to that point.
Good enough
by David Dworkin Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I really enjoyed the first half of this play, but it did seem to hit a speed bump. The acting was quite good, but the script forced Nate Hessburg to spend most of his time displaying a look of disbelief. He's very good at that, but after a while it became tedious, through no fault of his own. Matt Greseth turned in a strong performance as your worst HR nightmare. With so many people out of work, this is a timely offering. This would have made a GREAT 30-minute show. At 50 minutes, it's still a good show.
Went on for too long
by Dave Romm Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Monty Python did this sketch in five minutes. The two actors are terrific and sustain a slight idea for a long time, but alas the material starts to get old about halfway through. Great attempt and much is very funny, but neither the characters nor the writing rise above the original premise. A Shockwave Radio Theater Review.
Longer reviews with pictures at Baron Dave's LiveJournal and snarky comments on Facebook.
w00t!
by Dawn Krosnowski Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
I say w00t.
Weak Script Disservices Staging/Talent
by Sid Solomon Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
Though deftly staged and performed with gusto by obviously talented and skilled actors, this script is just simply not worthy of its production. Equal parts vulgar, offensive, crass and rambling, its humor and message fell well short of their marks.
hysterical, timely,
by Cynthia Hornbeck Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
and perfectly beckafkinteresque. Go see it!
Oustanding Performance
by mark kreger Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This show was well acted, well paced, extremely funny, and hits a little too close to home for anyone who has inhabited corporate America.
Practice for your next job interview
by Eric Meininger Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This show is hilarious. If you've ever had a bad job interview you'll feel better after this. Well done!
Go for it, Samurais!
by Joshua Humphrey Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
First, I think there should be a round of applause for Urban Samurai and how fast they got this show up off the ground. They had 10 rehearsals before their debut on Thursday night, and I was impressed with the the production all around. Nate and Matt had incredibly compelling performances.
I do think the production could have been a little tighter, but that's something that more rehearsals would have fixed. I can only see this show getting better as its fringe run continues. Kudos to the people at Urban Sam for pulling this off so quickly with strong production values and style.
Great performers, weaker script
by Arthur Adams Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
I have to start by saying that Matt and Nate both gave great performances. They were what kept the show alive, since we spent 50 minutes watching one long, continuous scene. I enjoyed the concept (love the dark humor), but I felt like the show trailed off around the 25-minute point.
Like a reviewer below pointed out, it felt like a series of jokes and sketches had just been written back to back. The characters and plot just never really developed. Nonetheless, if you've got a free slot in your schedule, this show is worth a look - there are definitely some really funny moments.
A Wonderful Surprise
by Justin Alexander Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Livelihood launched itself off the waiting list for the Fringe less than two weeks ago, so it hasn't had much of a chance for promotion or buzz. This is unfortunate, because a lot of people are going to miss a truly wonderful show.
The script is perhaps 5 minutes too long (with the extra bulge coming in the middle), but Greseth and Hessburg are like live-wires -- they're entertainment personified, liquified, and poured into the finely crafted mold of Willer's clever and engaging direction.
Great Dark Comedy - Don't Miss It!
by Jimmy LeDuc Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
This show was well paced, acted, and directed. It tackles the horrors of modern day interviews and the trials and tribulations of corporate America. Kudos to everyone involved. This is a must see for the 2009 Fringe Festival.
Lively-Hood
by ADAM KING Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
Lively...YES! Congrats to the cast for a job well done. Some of the best work I've seen from these guys. Fast paced and keeping you thinking, what more could they say? The script could use a little tightening, but the show is a gem. Especially considering they got ready in about a week.
Well done!
by Bob Kelley Follow this reviewer
Rating 4 kitties
The pace of this show could have well fallen into a confusing chaos...but the acting skill was roped in well by the excellent direction to keep the show flowing and so entertaining!! A must see!
funny and thoughtful
by Jay Melchior Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
Interviews suck. There is no end to the BS that is being said at one, by either party. It'd be so funny if it wasn't yours. Well, enjoy...This interview is hilarious, awkward and absurd. It's well written and very fun to watch.
Oddly bored
by Harv Nelson Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
Really, I've got to give them an A for effort, but . . . honestly I got bored and stopped caring. The actors did their best with weak material that I wanted to like more but just couldn't.
Go See? Yes, If You Have an Open Spot.
by Nick Decker Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
Livelihood feels much like a sketch comedy piece, with elements borrowed from Monty Python, Kids in the Hall, and Mr. Show. What benefited those troupes was the ability to tell such a story in four minutes; Livelihood suffers when stretched to 50.
The story of a job interview gone awry fits right into the Kids in the Hall-world of "Danny" and "A T & Love," and the rising absurdity of the interviewer's demands cleverly borrows from Monty Python sketches such as "Dead Parrot," "Argument Clinic," and "Cheese Shop," waiting for the payoff taxes the patience.
It's a dark show with witty dialogue (Matt Greseth relishes in the insanity of hiring manager "Mike"), and I love this setup, but the climax feels forced, and a touch predictable. For social satire, it never delivers a clear, original message on the discussion of the failing U.S. economy, save that perhaps nihilistic abandonment is the only option.
Good performances, weak script
by Eva Nelson Follow this reviewer
Rating 3 kitties
The script leaves you wanting but the cast and director make the most of it and obviously had a lot of fun (as did the audience).
Good for a laugh.
Kinda tiresome
by Erika Klein Follow this reviewer
Rating 2 kitties
The acting was funny and high-energy, but the plot is essentially one joke with some slight social satire dropped in at the end.
Wow
by Grant Henderson Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
This is a show that's not to be missed! Matt and Nate carry this show with such skill. Under the great direction of Katie Willer, both actors weave in and out of this well written piece of theatre. Knowing when to be zany, and when to be quiet, they had the audience in the palm of their hand the entire show. Another great Fringe showing from Urban Samurai.
Over-the-top hilarious!
by August Berkshire Follow this reviewer
Rating 5 kitties
A five-kitty must-see. In the fall-out from the disastrous Bush economy, a job interview as extreme and surreal as this almost seems believable.
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