Edinburgh Fringe Review – A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First

A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First is slick performance combining clown and physical theatre with surprisingly emotional rhetoric, says Phoebe Bakker, reviewing the show at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024.

Edinburgh Fringe Review: A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First

A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First follows the hijinks of two boy scouts named Grasshopper and Ace at camp. Against the backdrop of the Vietnam war, the boys seek stability through their adventures, exploring their burgeoning masculinity with whimsy – all while trying to appease father like figure, Lyndon B Johnson. We watch as their childhood wonder is suddenly faced with the realities of war. Armed only with a tyre – the sole prop on a stripped back stage – and plodding along to the tune of a harmonica, their world is flipped around over and over. 

This piece is performed by duo Xhloe and Natasha, who have a long history of collaboration. Their previous works And Then The Rodeo Burnt Down and What If They Ate The Baby were smash hits (in my view), so I entered this auditorium with bated breath. Would they do it again? Within five minutes, my relief hit; they’d done it. Another masterpiece. 

The writing of this show is strong and playful, perfectly capturing what it was to be a boy in the sixties and the idealism that had to be left behind thanks to the Vietnam war. It’s a meaty subject to handle. But by combining clown and physical theatre with surprisingly emotional rhetoric, they present a slick performance that’s still full of light and bound to throw the audience into awe. Their performances are a joy to behold, their connection with each other and us, the audience, at the worst of times just inspiring but at the best an absolutely holy experience. The idealism of boys being sent to war, against the apotheosis of Lyndon B Johnson (responsible for that idealism), is heartbreaking. The comedy element of the show allows this – it pulls the audience in until the narrative is ready to break your heart. 

This pair are so dynamic and this show so brilliant that you know you will find a perfect new nugget of gold each time you watch – there’s a bucket load of rewatch value here. I would be concerned for my bank account if I knew it wasn’t worth every penny.

You can catch A Letter To Lyndon B Johnson Or God: Whoever Reads This First until August 24th here at the Edinburgh Fringe website.