A Letter to Lyndon B. Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First is a powerful exploration of the pressures which shape a childhood, devastating loss of innocence, and the path which American foreign politics carved out for a generation of working class boys.
Grasshopper (Xhloe Rice) and Ace (Natasha Roland) roll onto the stage as impossible-not-to-love Boy Scouts. Scruffy, mud covered, scamps!
Spending a summer camp play-fighting imaginary enemies for the elusive praise of Lyndon B Johnson, a comically God-like father figure in their whimsical imaginations, the duo give magnetic, vulnerable and tender performances, creating characters you instantly invest in. As the story unfolds, folklore and propaganda blends with harrowing truths, and suddenly the looming pressures of manhood and war present a threat which they cannot avoid.
Energetic and ferociously funny, the duo spring to action and lead their audience through a charming exploration of American boyhood. It is pitch perfect. Soft child-like naivety and young male bravado written with perceptive clarity. The sweet nature and likability of the characters is crucial, as it only makes the path they are destined for all the more devastating. Delivering the harsh reality of war for working class boys through expertly crafted writing, one clever line at a time.
Set in the round, with only a loose tyre for set dressing, Roland and Rice have a physical stage presence and a chemistry which would dominate in any setting. Universal feelings of youthful hope sing through both performances, tugging on heartstrings and not letting go.
The physical theatre throughout is slick, skilled and dynamic. Pair this with flawless lighting and sound design, and you are transported. A bird chirp or a thunder clap creating nostalgic childhood memories so vivid you forget they aren’t your own.
This is storytelling at its purest form, which swings a punch as personal as it is political.
Running till the 14th of September at the King’s Head in Angel.
Reviewer: Sadie Pearson
Reviewed: 5th September 2024
North West End UK Rating: