Review: A LETTER TO LYNDON B JOHNSON OR GOD: WHOEVER READS THIS FIRST, Soho Theatre
Photo credit: Morgan McDowell
Clowning duo and darlings of the Edinburgh Fringe Xhloe and Natasha storm the Soho Theatre this March with a double bill of delights fresh from the fringe and decorated with a constellation of stars. Half of this bill is A Letter To Lyndon B. Johnson – a quietly devastating picture of boyhood that splices together scenes from an all-American boy scout camp and snapshots of drafted US soldiers in Vietnam.
As a self-titled queer clown duo, audiences might expect the boisterous energy and meticulous choreography of this very physical piece. But Xhloe and Natasha prove themselves uniquely brilliant by showcasing a sharp script that is emotionally intelligent, formally inventive and incisively witty to boot.
Xhloe and Natasha are consummate theatremakers, creating poetry in their words and movement. The pair literally throw themselves into their roles and create an unsettling blurring between childish soldier games and real deadly military conflict. As the shyer and stammering Grasshopper, Xhloe Rice is wide-eyed and hopelessly endearing, with a steady and considered centre. And as self-titled Ace, the model of manliness, Natasha Roland’s chest is permanently puffed-out, albeit with a suspicion of hollowness behind it. Both performers bring delicacy and nuance to their brawling and brash characters to create a poignant picture of mid-century masculinity.
The specificity of the period and the American-ness of this piece makes for thoughtful comparison with today’s world politics. A heady mix of international conflict and a consumer boom in 1960s America created a sense of national pride and duty amongst those who were not drawn into the counter-culture movement as we see in Grasshopper and Ace’s pledge allegiance to Lyndon B Johnson. The boys place the president on a paternal pedestal – the ultimate model of manhood – and look up to this almost mythical figure as a guide when they navigate questions around their own masculinity. Xhloe and Natasha use this frame to unpick a perennially knotty topic that seemingly has tangled itself further since the 1960s, with the current president slowly and deliberately erased all questions, research and even language around gender in his insane edicts.
Xhloe and Natasha pack a lot into this one-hour show – too much to cover even in a short review. With only a tire between them, these master storytellers create an utterly captivating world together.
Witty, charming, with a light bit of heart-wrenching – we want to see every other show Xhloe and Natasha make.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Livvy Perrett
