The Last Living Libertine is the debut hour from John Tothill as he tries to dissect our attitude to life and prove that techno music is the true expression of human spirit and the modern extension of 16th Century religious euphoria.
What true ecstasy looks like
Taking on the persona of a professor, Tothill structures his show like an academic seminar and explains the evolution of Christianity from Martin Luther’s 95 Theses, Henry VIII and the establishment of the Church of England, to Mary Tudor’s surprising liberalism of thought and the present day. He constantly goes off on tangents in order to illustrate his point further or to back it up with a personal anecdote, and this non-linear structure clearly demonstrates how these established ideas can still have an impact on a person’s life. Throughout The Last Living Libertine, Tothill shows how shifting moral practices and beliefs have informed and impacted our lives in the modern day, indicating that Oliver Cromwell’s ghost still might be sucking the joy from everyday life. He takes an academic-like analysis to his lesson plan that puts culture and history under a magnifying glass, and mixes medieval and modern-day.
Immediately when we enter, we can’t help but note that a kind of hedonistic atmosphere hangs over the space, and whilst it settles once Tothill begins his seminar, it comes back in full force at the end. He rounds off the show with a practical application of his central thesis, and proves to us not only that he is right, but that even the most unlikely pairings can make something beautiful.
Tothill conveys the changing nature of pleasure-seeking incredibly well, not only in his practical application, but through analysis that uses intense academic rigour and a peer-reviewed method in order to convince us to take more joy in life. The Last Libertine is a criticism of the meal prep mindset, what true ecstasy looks like, and how important it is to find a place where you can experience it.
