Don John Tickets

A 1970’s womaniser and the ‘Winter of Discontent’

Predatory, amoral, self-seeking, cold-hearted and violent: these are just a few of the many words that could be used to describe this altogether unpleasant character.

Don John is set in recession Britain in the 1970’s and tells the story of a selfish, brutal womaniser who leaves a trail of destruction wherever he goes.

This is a corruption of the title ‘Don Giovanni or Don Juan’, an opera by legendary composer Mozart.  In that opera, we are introduced to a serial womaniser, Don Juan who is only concerned with his desires and needs. He loves and leaves the ladies in equal measures and cares nothing for the pain that he causes.

Here at the Battersea Arts Centre, we are treated to a modern version of that famous story. This time, it is set in 1970’s Britain, in 1978 to be exact. This was the infamous ‘winter of discontent’, a time of strikes, power cuts, the four day week and unrest in general. Britain was in the grip of a recession and the whole country was feeling gloomy and pessimistic as a whole.

However, on a brighter note the 70’s were also known for afro haircuts, kipper ties, flares, disco and the Bee Gees. One way of forgetting the recession was to boogie the night away!

The scene is set in a small town somewhere in England. This could be any town and what happens here could happen anywhere. Don John and his equally horrible mate, Nobby arrive determined to have a good time whatever the cost.

Having a good time means women: they are both completely amoral in this aspect and operate a ‘love them and leave them’ policy when it comes to women.  All they are concerned about is enjoying themselves and getting the maximum amount of pleasure from their flings. If people are hurt on the way, well, what do they care?

They drink, socialise and discuss their conquests. Their affairs with women are just ‘notches on the bedpost’ so to speak. Nobby even takes photographs of women they have met as a permanent record of their sordid doings.

We are shown a small town in which we meet a group of people whose lives will be changed for the worse by the attentions of Don John. These include the sexually frustrated vicar’s wide, Anna who is trapped in a loveless marriage with an alcoholic husband. She has the additional stress of a dying father and sees her meetings with Don John as a means of bringing a little light relief into her otherwise dull life.

True to form, Don John makes advances towards her which she enjoys but in this excited state she mistakes them for those of her husband! However, Don John has a darker and violent side to him: he sexually abuses poor Anna and then murders her father.

We see the ambitious Polish cleaner Zerlina: she is determined to improve her life and is currently studying at the Open University with the aim of doing something with her life. She is also engaged to a decent, kindly man. However, she finds it impossible to resist the charms of Don John even though he is bad through and through.

And, there is Elvira: Elvira is an intelligent and stylish career woman who nevertheless, becomes infatuated by the rough affections of Don Juan. He, for his part, treats her very casually, but in spite of this, she continues to adore him.

We see how events unfold and tragedies occur as a result of this one man. He is dangerous, cruel and sexually violent but for some, it proves too hard to resist. He represents the dark, repressed side of our natures which, when released can have far reaching consequences.