In ‘A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First’, we meet two muddy-kneed boy Scouts in 1960s America who are nothing short of obsessed with their president, Lyndon B Johnson. Revered as a father-figure and god, we watch Ace (Natasha Roland) and Grasshopper (Xhloe Rice) play at being intrepid soldiers, dreaming of growing up and meeting their fearless president. But what starts off as an ode to the simple joys of boyhood becomes with the addition of several sub-plots, a blindingly current commentary on masculinity, nationalism, and the cult of the leader.

From the get-go, writer/actresses Xhloe and Natasha inject a raucous and vividly youthful energy into their characters, perfectly capturing the spirit of the idealised American childhood and the hilarious logic of kids. As the play progresses we uncover the troubled home lives of this swashbuckling duo, coming to see the early life experiences that have fuelled their die-hard patriotism and obsession with violence. As two parallel stories unfold alongside this one, the play morphs into a deeply moving exploration of the emotions and insecurities that fuel cult-leadership and extreme nationalism.

The context of the Vietnam War looms heavily over this play, even if it is not explicitly mentioned. The crux of the production’s irony lies in the boys’ unquestioning worship of a figure whose drive to increase military involvement in Vietnam arguably led to the bloodshed of thousands of Americans. Therefore, the only shortcoming of this play is that whilst it is not essential to know who LBJ is and the nature of his foreign policy, the themes could be less accessible to any non-American or younger audience member. Whilst the quality of writing is truly outstanding, perhaps more time could be taken to familiarise the audience with the historical context of the play.

Otherwise, ‘A Letter to LBJ’ is nothing short of dazzling, especially with its mastery of LFX and SFX. Transitions between scenes are exceptionally slick, and the soundtrack of Beatles music is wonderfully nostalgic. A very physical work of theatre, the actresses demonstrate well-oiled choreography and impressive stunts, to the point where the action often takes on a cinematic and jaw-dropping realism.

‘A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First‘ is at the Space @ Niddry St – Upper Theatre until Sat 23 Aug 2025 at 19:25