Magic Thingdom: American Utopias and VANITAS, reviewed.

I review Mike Daisey's new monologue, American Utopias, from today's City Paper.

Also: VANITAS, the new show from Happenstance Theatre Company.

The Tyranny of the Written Interview: A Transcribed Conversation with Monologist Mike Daisey

Mike Daisey. You can trust the man who wears the beard, as long as he isn't singing.

I've written about monologuist Mike Daisey a lot in the last four years, but especially last year, in the wake of damaging revelations about his show The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs.

He and I met again at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, his performing home here in DC since 2008, last Friday to talk about his new piece, American Utopias, which I review in this week's Washington City Paper.  I've just posted an edited, partial transcript of that talk up on Arts Desk.

FURTHER READING: Hoo boy.  My 2009 review of Daisey's How Theatre Failed America. My 2010 preview of The Last Cargo Cult. My initial reaction, from March 2012, to The Agony & Ecstasy of Steve Jobs controversy, and my reaction to Daisey's reaction.  Finally, my July 2012 City Paper cover story about Daisey's return to Woolly Mammoth to perform a revised, fabrication-free version of Agony & Ecstasy.