 A Letter To Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First
August 19-24 -TheSpace @ Niddry Street The story begins at a Boy Scout summer camp in the 1960s, where Ace and Grasshopper forge a deep friendship. Their adventures start innocently, with games in the woods that capture the essence of childhood camaraderie. However, as the narrative unfolds, these light-hearted moments give way to the harsh realities of the Vietnamese jungle, where the once-clear lines between innocent play and the brutality of war begin to blur. Two-time Fringe First-place winners Xhloe and Natasha in impressive synchronisation masterfully intertwine the worlds of make-believe and real life for young American men, using only a tire as a prop while dressed in Boy Scout uniforms. This juxtaposition of the idealised innocence of the Boy Scouts with the grim reality of war is striking. Through the boys’ youthful games, we glimpse an American narrative that glorifies courage and heroism. Yet, in the Vietnam jungle, these ideals are tested, distorted, and ultimately shattered in bloodshed. The transition from playful toy soldiers to real soldiers starkly exposes the tragic consequences of a society that romanticises war, revealing the fragility of youthful ideals when confronted with the horrors of conflict. This leads to a fate where the line between heroism and tragedy becomes heartbreakingly thin. 4/5 Lee Hutchison |
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