Chapter 2 - B.S. Johnson – You’re Human Like the Rest of Them

Summary

The story of You’re Human Like the Rest of Them is quite captivating and complex. Originally, B.S. Johnson wrote it for “an evening of experimental plays,” Expeditions III, planned by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1964, but the play was not staged at the time as it was “considered too experimental” (Johnson 2013b: 145; see also Johnson 1971). Johnson went on to adapt it for screen in 1967, and the film had its premiere at the National Film Theatre (Johnson 2013b: 145). The lead was played by debuting William Hoyland (Johnson 2013b: 145), who later became one of Johnson's favourite actors. Subsequently, the production won two Grands Prix in 1968 − at the Tours and Melbourne Short Film Festivals (Johnson 2013b: 145). Only in 1971 was the play eventually staged in the theatre. This took place at the Basement Theatre as part of B.S. Johnson vs God, together with yet another play of Johnson’s, Whose Dog Are You?, which had also been rejected earlier due to its experimental form (Johnson 2013b: 145). You’re Human Like the Rest of Them appeared in print twice: in Transatlantic Review in 1965 and in New English Dramatists 14 in 1970 (Johnson 2013b: 145). More recently, it was staged in Finborough Theatre in 2017, along with Not Counting the Savages and Down Red Lane, all directed by Carla Kingham (theatre programme).

In this way, Johnson was, more or less intensely, preoccupied with You’re Human Like the Rest of Them throughout most of his career. The writing of the play for Expeditions III coincided with the death of his friend, Tony Tillinghast, and the publication of Albert Angelo. Furthermore, the premiere of the film You’re Human Like the Rest of Them preceded the publication of The Unfortunates, which is a story based on his relationship with Tony. This is important to note insofar as certain themes, relevant for Johnson's whole oeuvre, appear in both the play and the novel. As Miriam Havemann comments on You’re Human Like the Rest of Them, “[s]imilar to The Unfortunates, it deals with the inevitable and incomprehensible decay of the human body as part of the human condition” (Havemann 2011: 335).