Signature Theatre

For this production’s list of trigger warnings, head to the “Who Is It For?” section of this review or find them at sigtheatre.org.

The internet holds power. With the click of a button, anything can be uploaded to a vast interconnected network of worldwide users.

And by anything… I mean anything.

Enter Signature Theatre’s production of JOB: a chilling 80-minute play that explores the horrors of the internet, and the all-consuming nature of work.

Truth be told, I haven’t looked at my google browser the same way again.

Background

Written by Max Wolf Friedlich, JOB made its off-broadway debut in September 2023 before transferring to broadway in 2024. Signature Theatre is housing the thriller’s regional premiere, and their blackbox-style Ark Theater provided the tiny, intimate setting necessary for this two-person production.

JOB follows Jane (Jordan Slattery), a young woman who was forced to leave her job after suffering a public mental breakdown, and Loyd (Eric Hissom), the therapist she was sent to in order to return. From the second Jane steps foot in the office, she pulls out a gun; the next 80 minutes are just as tense. Jane and Loyd uncover more about each other during the session… for better or for worse.

This Production

The set designed by Luciana Stecconi was perfectly minimal: a quaint therapist’s office with two chairs, a couch, blinds, and all sorts of knicknacks. Well, that, plus a desk with a computer: an integral facet of the room that made for an eerie moment later in the show. The cozy vibe of the space lulled the audience into a false sense of security, and provided for great contrast.

All throughout, Colin K. Bills’s use of lights was incredibly effective to set the mood of the piece. Every time Jane began to spiral, the space would shift to a fluorescent light, which was just stark enough to set the audience on edge. Paired with Kenny Neal’s sound design, this shift in the lights was often accompanied by the sound of a button tapped on a keyboard; a symbolic noise that triggered a chilling sensation. For me, it was really the lights and sound that tied the show together; everything was timed so perfectly to the staging, and evoked a strong emotional response.

From a performance standpoint, Jordan Slattery and Eric Hissom created two very distinct, memorable characters.

Slattery leaned into the young, rambling nature of Jane; a gen-Z cog in the corporate machine who can’t function without the reassurance of her work. Her character is nothing short of complex, and Slattery approached each one of Jane’s lengthy monologues with a genuine, conversational tone. The moments where she froze were also incredibly effective, as Slattery delivered her lines in a monotone, almost robotic manner; this eventually gave way to an emotional final stand, laced with palpable anger. Her performance of Jane was a delicate balance between unreliable and genuine; a conflicting morality that made the open-ended nature of the show believable.

Hissom was incredibly effective in his portrayal of Loyd, the troubled, well-meaning therapist. He injected a refreshing sense of tranquility into each scene, and grounded Jane’s eclectic nature; it made for a satisfying payoff when he finally exploded in frustration. By the time the truth came to light, Hissom convincingly slipped further and further into fear... his initial performance was one that was easy to root for, which made the latter half of the show all the more shocking.

Who is it For?

As a 17-year-old, I want to preface with the fact that I found this show horrifying. I was physically repulsed by some of the things Jane said she had seen online, and of the realities of the internet we don’t necessarily see. That being said, here’s a list of triggers for JOB that can be found on Signature Theater’s website:

Gun violence, adult language, loud and graphic noises, discussions of self-harm, drug use, mental trauma, and physical and sexual violence involving crimes against children.

Which, that doesn’t even begin to cover it. These triggers weren’t tossed around for effect, either; almost all of them were integral to the story. Signature theatre recommends this production for ages 17+, and I’m inclined to agree with that rating, because of the production’s subject matter and tense tone throughout.

That’s not to say that mature 16 or 15 year olds can’t see the production, because let’s face it: we’re Gen Z. We’re not unfamiliar with the dark corners of the internet. Still, JOB was incredibly jarring. I’d recommend it to fans of the psychological thriller genre, or even anyone intrigued by the insidious nature of the internet. The production is incredibly relevant, and its themes strike deep… even if the writers threw in a heavy dose of Gen Z slang to get there. I will admit, the first “my guy” definitely caught me off-guard.

But admittedly, the entirety of the show caught me off-guard--in a good way. JOB has a juicy plot twist, and an even juicier ambiguous ending. I literally jumped out of my seat multiple times.

The show runs through March 16; visit www.sigtheatre.org for ticket prices and more information.

JOB