One of country music's biggest icons, Johnny Cash, may no longer be with us, but Des McAnuff, the Olivier and Tony award-winning co-writer and director of new musical The Ballad of Johnny and June, wants audiences to forget that minor detail for the evening. Billed as the definitive Johnny Cash musical, the story is told through the eyes of the famous couple's son, John Carter Cash, played by Ryan O'Donnell. We discover the warts-and-all story of Johnny and his second wife, June Carter Cash, all set to that stellar songbook.
O'Donnell narrates the action from the sidelines, often breaking the fourth wall, which is an unusual choice but generally works well in this production at the Lowry theatre this week. A live band belts out all those fan favourites, from I Walk The Line, Ring of Fire, and A Boy Named Sue, to Folsom Prison Blues, Sunday Morning Coming Down, and many more. They are all sung very well by Christopher Ryan Grant, with only a small amount of strain discernible when he reaches for Cash's lowest notes.
Performances and Chemistry
Grant masters Johnny's persona too—flirtatious and hedonistic one minute, and flying into a seemingly unprovoked rage the next. Christina Bianco, as June, is a petite powerhouse, with a great voice and extraordinary breath control. She has bags of charisma, and the pair have good chemistry. June's jaded yet jolly character somehow falls for the 'Man in Black' even though she seems the sort of wise woman you'd expect to run a mile from such a troubled character. The accents are very authentic throughout, and the acting is impressive from the whole cast. There are a lot of songs to get through, but the cast's energy is top tier throughout.
Emotional Impact and Balance
The only problem with fitting so many tunes in is that some of the emotional impact is lost. This is felt particularly at the end, after June's death. No sooner do we learn she's dead, after simply walking off stage, than she's back on again for another duet. With some serious themes of drug addiction, alcoholism, mental health problems, and infidelity, this lack of space for the audience to feel sad, for even a moment, can seem a little incongruous at times.
That said, the crowd tonight have obviously come for the songs, with their extremely relatable themes of sadness, moral torment, and redemption, and would likely be unhappy if their particular favourite was missed out. Achieving the right balance between entertainment and emotiveness is tricky.
The whole show is excellently acted and sung, and fans of the King of Country are sure to enjoy it. It's a toe-tapping, sing-along extravaganza, and as long as you're not expecting piles of pathos, you won't be disappointed.
The Ballad of Johnny and June is at The Lowry theatre until Saturday, June 13. Star rating: 4/5.
