“Hide My Porn” are the last words written in a letter to his best friend Chris when Joe was about to start his cancer treatment, detailing what to do if the worst came to pass and what song to play at the funeral knowing it would make him laugh.
He hid the letter and later rediscovered upopened when he was moving house.
This is a moving and humorous one man show performed by Joseph Rawlings based on his experience after discovering he had testicular cancer: in his chest!
Hide my Porn is a deeply personal performance, both a touching and entertaining reflection on a young man’s battle with cancer and the people he met on his journey of recovery.
Although his experience was full of operations, chemotherapy, indignity and discomfort he found a whole world of diverse characters, accents and laughter – not to mention five Karens who all worked on the same ward.
Hilariously, during a colonoscopy, he made the Consultant laugh so much that his hand was shaking and let’s not forget those “you couldn’t make it up moments” when he had an appointment to discuss his cancer treatment, the day before his appointment to let him know that he actually had cancer.
The numerous letters from the medical team were hung on a washing line the depth of the stage whilst the left of the stage was designed to illustrate a medical environment. With the projectors Joe takes extracts from medical letters, scans of tumours, but also happier photos of a pre chemo party. He pays tribute to his family and friends who found it difficult to know what to say or do and explains that sometimes all you need is to be there.
The play underlines that one in two people will experience cancer in their lifetime, either theirs or someone they love.
Joe loves to make people laugh, and this show is funny!
5 stars
Showing at Prague Fringe May31st 22:45.
Divadlo Inspirace.
Reviewed by Nina Gardner
Theatre, Art and Film Reviews 
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