Johnny Got His Gun
A grenade hits Joe Bonham in WW1. He wakes up in the hospital to discover his arms, legs, eyes, ears and mouth are gone. Left is but a torso – the living dead alone with his thoughts. Now he breaks through to be heard.
A grenade hits Joe Bonham in WW1. He wakes up in the hospital to discover his arms, legs, eyes, ears and mouth are gone. Left is but a torso – the living dead alone with his thoughts. Now he breaks through to be heard.
In the performance, Joe spins the audience through his tragedy and the 1900s: the century of growth, violence and loss. And he takes no easy way out. Joe fought in the name of liberty, democracy and his native land to lose everything. Now he questions what he's been taught to dream of.
Johnny Got His Gun was originally premiered in 2015 at Lappeenranta City Theatre. One year later, it won the Grand Prix at the Pärnu International Theatrefestival MONOMAFFIA, Estonia. In 2022, the production was selected for the prestigious From Start to Finnish showcase and enjoyed a successful run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, garnering rave reviews from both critics and audiences. In February 2024, Johnny Got His Gun embarked on a groundbreaking tour of five Indian cities, including New Delhi, Kolkata, Santiniketan, Thrissur, and Bangalore, becoming the first Finnish theatre production to tour India.
Based on the novel Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
Directing, dramaturgy and scenography: Essi Rossi
Sound design: Pauli Riikonen
Actor: Johannes Holopainen
Photos: Ilkka Saastamoinen
Duration: 60 minutes
Age limit: 13+
Language: English