Why write a play? To tell a story, to make a point, to educate, to entertain? I go to the theatre a lot and sometimes I do wonder why the play I’ve just seen has been put on. Did I learn anything? Did I laugh? I don’t always expect a riotous night out but I want to be engaged . Verbatim theatre has been around for a while. For the uninitiated, “Verbatim theatre is a form of documentary theatre in which plays are constructed from the precise words spoken by people interviewed about a particular event or topic.” (Wikipedia) For me, it’s like watching a film which opens with “based on true life events” – I am immediately interested. Deep Cut & The Riots at the Tricycle, London Road at the National, John by DV8 are just a few recent productions. I saw JOHN and found it to be a fascinating insight into one man’s life – someone I would probably never meet, who had lived a life I knew very little about. And hearing his tale, in his words and delivery (performed super