Two years ago, I set foot inside the Mountain View Mausoleum in Altadena for the first time to witness the end of one of The Speakeasy Society’s most powerful shows. Though I had missed out on the first two, THE JOHNNY CYCLE PART III: THE LIVING pulled me into its story and left me an emotional wreck.

Now, in a sort of irony that makes sense to those who have seen previous incarnations, The Speakeasy Society is keeping Johnny alive with a new version of the original series. This revamped and redone THE JOHNNY CYCLE combines elements from all three original shows (and some new ones) into one big re-imagined performance that is quite literally a stroke of genius from The Speakeasy Society.

Inspired by Dalton Trumbo’s novel “Johnny Got His Gun”, the show pulls from that and other historical sources to create a sort of meta-fictional look at the life and trails of Trumbo’s life and novel. In the show, audience members all play Johnny, the central figure of the book who was a solider during World War I. Unfortunately, an accident on the battlefield severely injures him, leaving him with no eyes, no ears, no nose, no mouth, and no limbs. However, modern medicine “saves” him, confining him to a life somewhere between not quite living and not quite dead. Instead, you traverse his memories, his dreams, learning about his life, trying to make sense of all that came before, and what comes next for Johnny.

It’s hard to put into words just how immensely powerful this show is. The subject matter is dense, dealing with some very heavy themes, but every bit of its two hours is packed with some incredibly story telling.

There are multiple tracks in the show, allowing audience members to experience vastly different aspects of Johnny’s life. For example, after an opening scene that was set during the “filming” of a movie version of Johnny’s story (complete with Trumbo on hand to finish writing pages), audience members are broken up by the various characters to see different moments of Johnny’s story.

I was taken by some former members of Johnny’s squad to learn the ins and the outs of the battle field. There, I was able to uncover what it was like for people on the front lines, how difficult their life was, and how they faced life or death every single day. Hearing these first hand accounts, from soldiers who had seen the horrors of war, was heart-breaking. In fact, this is the first time I teared up during the show, as Yuri, one of Johnny’s squad members, told me the tale of his life…and demise.

The memories here blend, though, as Johnny isn’t always a reliable narrator. Sometimes things happen as they actually did. Sometimes, you are offered a choice to change their outcome, only to be reminded by the actors that this is not how things went, and that Johnny is confusing memories again. It was such an interesting experience, to see how you, as Johnny, could try to change these memories for a different (better) outcome, but the ghosts of his past will always come back to haunt him, despite how is trying to make peace with them.

I also spent some time with his mother, his father, his love, and his creator. Each person provided a deeper understanding to who Johnny was, who he is, and how he tried to make things right. They not only try to help Johnny try to come to terms with himself, but also with themselves. They KNOW they are memories, and they are stuck in a cycle of repeating the same thing over and over again because that is Johnny’s life right now. He is unable to communicate with the outside world and has nothing but his memories to keep his company. Johnny is a man in turmoil; trapped in a state he didn’t ask for, unable to communicate the way he always has, and forced to re-live his own painful memories again and again.

The blurring of the lines between fact and fiction, and Trumbo’s story weaving in between, was fascinating to see again. Seeing him interact with his own creations, fighting for the right to tell his story (while also fighting against accusations of being a communist) provided some historical context for the story overall.

Accountability was big theme running through the original show, and it was no different here. Who is responsible for all these men dying during the war? Who is responsible for Trumbo not giving Johnny a better ending or giving his family more closure in his writing? Who is responsible for the terrible things that happen to us at the end of the day? Trumbo’s own life, especially dealing with the McCarthyism of his day, mix beautifully with Johnny’s own story, creating a symmetry that was unexpected but also quite fitting.

Every single actor and actress I came across was unbelievable in their role. Each brought a gravitas to the story that fit their roles perfectly. Many of the folks in the show are familiar faces from shows past, but these are roles that define them; powerhouse performances that will wrap you up in the story and bring you to tears.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the location of the show itself, Mountain View Mausoleum. It was truly humbling to be seeing a show about being trapped between life and death while also surrounded by those who had passed. This, while subtle, added much to the show.

THE JOHNNY CYCLE emotionally powerful show. Its impact will impress upon you for days, and leave you thinking about your own actions. It’s a wonderful piece of storytelling, and it is well worth your time to go see.

The Johnny Cycle runs Thursdays through Saturdays Aug 22-Sept 21 at 8:00 pm
General Admission is $125. For more information, and to get tickets, visit them online at speakeasysociety.com/the-johnny-cycle