Review: Juno and the Paycock (Gielgud Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A heavyweight of acting returns to Shaftesbury Avenue as Mark Rylance sets up home at the Gielgud, two years after his performance at the Apollo next door in the sensational Jerusalem. This time around, he is starring in a revival of Sean O’Casey’s Irish masterpiece Juno and the Paycock. Reuniting with director Matthew Warchus and producer Sonia Friedman after previously acclaimed collaborations, would they be able to create another piece of theatre magic?

Premiering in 1924 as part of Sean O’Casey’s Dublin trilogy, Juno and the Paycock celebrates its centenary year with this huge new West End production. Set in Dublin in 1922, the action is centred around the Boyle family as the Irish Civil War tears the nation apart. With matriarch Juno desperately trying to keep the family together with no help from her husband ‘Captain’ Jack, some much-needed good news promises to change their prospects, but is it all too good to be true?

I must admit to being rather ignorant when it comes to this play, and Sean O’Casey’s writing in general as I had never had the privilege of watching one of his plays until now. With a unique voice and many stating that Juno and the Paycock couldn’t have been written by anyone else, it didn’t take me long to see what they meant by that. Deftly combining comedy and tragedy, O’Casey weaves the various essences of humanity in ways that can be exaggerated but always with a sense of realness to it. As the play progresses, the comedy eases somewhat as the darker elements become more prominent, and this is expertly handled as a naturalistic slow-burn that effortlessly crawls into your soul and allows you to connect with the story. With no shortage of riches when it comes to the exposition of characters, there is much to offer as the events of the play progress, with the one constant being the high-quality of O’Casey’s powerful writing.

Matthew Warchus’  direction revitalises O’Casey’s writing to ensure it impacts in the highest possible way, still feeling starkly relevant 100 years later. Split into three acts, each features a distinctly different tone, often ending on a contrasting one to how it started – Through Warchus’ meticulous direction and flawless choices, the shifting tone is teased with subtlety and realised beautifully. The first act veers close to farce with some excellent usage of physical comedy, flawlessly directed by Warchus. Rob Howell’s design of the Boyle’s house proves versatile in its transformation with plenty of scope to explore and a neat trick in its climactic scenes. Through gorgeous lighting from Hugh Vanstone and a great use of sound from Simon Baker, the production value all matches the same quality, all adding to O’Casey’s stunning writing.

J. Smith-Cameron marvels in her turn as Juno Boyle, introducing the family from the opening moments and endearing her character to the hearts of the audience, long before her scene-stealing husband turns up. As the family matriarch, Smith-Cameron delivers an earnest and emotional performance, completely embodying the character in an authentic and awe-inspiring performance. As the character of Juno attempts to keep the family together as events threatens to derail them, so too does Smith-Cameron, acting as the glue that holds quite extreme contrasting acting styles together and seemingly making it all blend together as the true heart of the story.

As ‘Captain’ Jack Boyle, Mark Rylance once again showcases his immeasurable talents as an actor with his distinctly different choices to the larger-than-life character often feeling like he is in a completely different show to everyone else. Addressing the audience with knowing looks and often talking directly to them, his performance stands out to that of the others, but it oddly works. Never veering too far from the comedy even when the tone of the story changes completely, it puts his actions in new light so that suddenly what once was funny now feels all the more tragic. It is this respect that allows Jack’s journey to mirror that of the story, even when he doesn’t realise it. With an abundance of material to work with, Rylance is in his element, showing differing dynamics with each of the characters and often managing to steal every scene he appears in, even if his character isn’t doing much by comparison.

While J. Smith-Cameron and Mark Rylance may form the bulk of the story, the other actors more than hold their own in a play that continually impresses through its exceptional cast. Aisling Kearns is effortlessly captivating in her turn as Mary Boyle, delighting in her scenes with both Leo Hanna’s Jerry Devine and Chris Walley’s Charles Bentham. Dealing with the wealth of the tragedy in the story is Eimhin Fitzgerald Doherty who is a wonder as Johnny Boyle, capturing much of the darkness of the story and never missing a beat in his authentic portrayal. A special mention has to go to Paul Hilton who provides a comedic highlight as ‘Joxer’ Daly, forming a terrific double act with Mark Rylance’s Jack.

Juno and the Paycock changes throughout its three acts veering from comedy to tragedy. The one aspect that does not change is the sheer quality of the piece, with Sean O Casey’s writing still standing the test of time 100 years after it was first performed. With inspired direction and a miraculous cast, the result is a captivating and powerful piece of theatre that proves continuously enthralling and entertaining in equal measure. Though the climax may prove relatively bleak, the journey to get there and the overall result proves to be an undoubted triumph, still every bit as powerful now as it was one hundred years ago.

Juno and the Paycock plays at the Gielgud Theatre until 23rd November.

Tickets available here

Photos by Manuel Harlan