ByJohn Nathan, John Nathan
You go to shows by physical theatre company DV8 for the mesmerising movement rather than the storytelling. This one is based on interviews with the show's eponymous subject, played by Hannes Langolf.
John tells us first about a life of abuse. As so often with DV8, the way in which the story is told serves as an uplifting antidote to the bleakness of its subject. John's recollections about his disastrous life are accompanied by stunningly artful tableaux. Some are as motionless as a still life, others capture the frenetic chaos of random violence. Each is performed with skill and grace.
The antidote begins to wear off, however, during the show's final (long) furlong which diverts from John's life to that of life in a gay sauna. It's as if the director has hijacked John's story for another agenda. It doesn't serve poor John. But then, story isn't the main reason you go to a DV8 show.