DV8 are recognised for their verbatim dance
theatre that addresses a wide range of topics. This time around, the National
Theatre introduces JOHN, a production advertised with the words ‘Lover.
Criminal. Father. Arsonist. Graduate. Charmer. Survivor.’ I was hardly going to
miss the show anyway and, after going to a talk with Artistic Director Lloyd
Newson, I couldn’t resist.
The first thing that catches your eye is
the set; a seemingly simplistic maze of walls, revolving to create different
rooms and changes of location. At first the cast are lit in still images as the
stage revolves and as John begins to reflect on his earlier life. These series
of images make the details of the words even more horrific, with moments of
action that bombard the audience with the reality of his story. Narrated by
Hannes Langolf, he develops a compelling and understanding portrayal of the interviewed
John, from which the words of the show are taken. Gareth Fry’s sound design
accompanies these moments, imposing more empathy onto us as the audience.
In just over an hour we go through the
different stages of John’s life; a violent family life, drug abuse, prison
sentences, education, love, sex, death, it was all there. As a personal story
it affected me more than I was aware, even if moments of comedy took away from a feeling of pity at points. Each moment developed into another twist
in his life, making it hard to listen to but equally mesmerising and stunning
to watch. A large proportion of the production illustrated life in a gay sauna,
the good bits and the bad bits, but every section questioning something
different making the audience leave thinking. Admittedly, the scenes revolving around the sauna clearly made some audience members feel uncomfortable but they added a few moments of lightness and comedy to a tragic story.
Lloyd Newson’s choreography is the most
outstanding element of this show, turning the words into swift reflections of
human emotions and body language, elegantly transforming the piece into giving
more detail that just words can give. The movements help us understand the
effect of problems that people face, for example, as John slips into a heroin
addiction his body becomes lifeless, tripping in every motion and ending
helpless on the floor. Langolf’s two solo moments had me sitting there, jaw
dropped, as he seemingly effortlessly controlled his body into metaphorically
reflecting the words as they were spoken.
Every performer, every production detail
created an unforgettable show. This controversial production was entrancing and
poignant, another DV8 show that I am glad I did not miss!
Running until 13th January 2015
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