Review: JOHN, Arch Film Studio

Mental health is not a topic that theatre pieces normally shy away from. For the most part, theatre is a creative outlet for the stories that are often too uncomfortable to approach otherwise. Anna Curiel’s one person play, John is an addition to theatre’s examination of the dark and twisted side of reality that we don’t always see - the grey area.

Anna Curiel also stars as Jenny - a woman with a sense of humour as dark as her past. After recently getting a puppy, a dog she named after her own father, John, Jenny talks about her recurring dream where she kills her dog as a way to exert control. If theatre that stays with you for days, both for better and for worse, is your cup of tea, then John may be the newest play for you. 

A one-woman, one-act play that will have you squirming in your seats with sheer discomfort. The writing of the play is incredible - both twisted and eerily clever. The audience were hanging on every word Jenny spoke, while also being genuinely afraid of her. Curiel has a way of capturing the attention of her audience, while having the wit to bounce straight off of their vibe, their response, improvising as she goes. Although, at times, I did feel as though there were a few minor breaks in character that took us out of the motion of the piece, it was all quickly resolved with plot twist after plot twist - which leads me to believe it was all part of Natasha Biggs’ dynamic direction. 

Jenny’s relationship with her dog is that of an inappropriate nature, matching hers with the man who inspired the canine’s name - Jenny’s father, John. At any given moment, Curiel could drop a singular line that completely silenced the room with unease and confusion. We were one minute laughing with her over jokes of failed dates, men, and the stresses of being a woman in your 20’s in therapy, and then, without a thought, we were trying to not make eye contact with her, shifting in our seats, and sitting in the rawness of the issue. 

Although the subject matter is very dark and covers real issues flying under the radar, John is a piece that has not left my mind in the days since I saw it - the impact of child abuse, the way past trauma shapes current behaviour.

I do believe this piece is not for everyone, more aimed at the young and queer demographic, but there is a lot of space in the piece to give anyone something to walk away with. You are meant to be uncomfortable, you’re meant to wonder how you ended up there in that moment. Theatre is all about reactions, feeling something, and leaving with new ideas - this piece does all of that. If it didn’t, Curiel wouldn’t have done her job. And, by God, did she work every single syllable. 

The long list of content/trigger warnings is not there for fancy, it is all true (if not more), but it’s the kind of theatre that needs more attention. Bigg’s direction of the simplistic, yet remarkably funny take on Curiel’s writing perfectly showcases what is like to be a girl and debriefing with your friends when you say something you think is funny but everyone else realises it’s definitely a problem. It’s raw, it’s unfortunately real, and it’s a piece that will sit with you longer than you’d like it to.

The piece is now in further development stages, with a lot of potential to go further. There are certainly opportunities for edits in terms of some jokes running slightly too long or proved unnecessary, but of course it is all down to taste. 

I see a bright future for this show, particularly in showcasing how fringe and self-devised pieces are the future of theatre.

John ran at the Arch Film Studio from 13-15 December

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