The Ballad of Johnny & June AT THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH
A powerhouse duo lead a toe-tapping new country music musical.
When you think of classic American Country music artists, one of the first names that may come to mind is Johnny Cash. With hits such as I Walk the Line, Ring of Fire, and A Boy Named Sue, Johnny Cash is an iconic Country star whose life story was both romantic and emotional, marked by struggles with drug use, family bereavement and the ups and downs of his relationship with his wife, June Carter. I was interested to see how this style of music and compelling story would translate to the stage and was excited to see that the director of Jersey Boys, Des McAnuff had directed this production, giving me high hopes of being able to translate a true story successfully to the stage.
When you first enter the auditorium, a large wooden panel covers the stage, displaying the title of the show. The performance begins with a country jamboree style overture to set the mood for the audience, but the house lights did remain on for much of the overture, which began to feel slightly awkward after a while. As the panels opened, the rest of the set was revealed, consisting mainly of wooden crates, panels and chairs, with the band positioned at the back of the stage. During the overture, each company member entered one by one carrying and playing instruments such as washboards, guitars and tambourines, leading me to believe that the production would adopt an actor-muso style, whereby the cast play the music alongside the dialogue and vocals throughout the show. However, this was not the case, the band played the music throughout and the cast were not seen with instruments again except for a few brief moments later in the production, where they mimed playing along with the band. This felt like a missed opportunity, as I think an actor-muso approach would have worked very well for this show. With the band providing the music throughout, it was also disappointing that they never really had the chance to stand out. They were placed at the back of the stage, often hidden behind wooden panels and dressed entirely in black, which made them appear as an afterthought instead of blending within the production. I felt they could have been costumed and incorporated more fully into the action of the show.
The show was narrated by John Carter Cash, the grown-up son of Johnny and June, a role played excellently by Ryan O’Donnell. O’Donnell’s character frequently broke the fourth wall, speaking directly to the audience to tell the story of Johnny and June, often with a guitar around his neck and accompanying much of the music. Due to the character’s direct engagement with the audience and his light-hearted humour, he was easy to warm to from the outset. While O’Donnell’s narration and vocal performance were excellent, I felt he was never really given the opportunity to fully showcase his talent. I would have liked to have seen him lead a major musical number rather than repeatedly performing variations of The Ballad of Johnny & June throughout the show. There were also several flashback scenes in which John Carter was depicted as a child. During these moments, O’Donnell remained at the side of the stage and delivered the young John’s lines whilst the rest of the company acted around a spotlight focused on the stage to represent the child. I found this to be a strange artistic choice and I’m not convinced that it was entirely effective. Initially, it was unclear what or whom the spotlight was intended to represent, and initially I thought it was an incorrect lighting queue. Once the use of the light became apparent, I questioned its purpose. Young John Carter played only a minor role in the story, so I found myself wondering why the production opted for this staging choice rather than either removing the child’s lines altogether or simply allowing O’Donnell to perform them himself as a younger version of the character.
The set we were welcomed to at the beginning of the show, with its many wooden features, remained largely unchanged throughout the performance, it would have been interesting to see some of these set pieces moved around to create different locations or props as the story progressed but it largely stayed in place. With the set remaining static, the storytelling needed to be particularly clear, however, there were moments when I found myself struggling to follow the narrative. The ensemble members played multiple characters throughout the production and it was not always easy to keep track of who was who. This was made more difficult by the fact that costumes remained largely the same regardless of the character being portrayed, making it challenging to distinguish between them. The pacing of the show also felt slow at times, I often found myself hoping that another upbeat musical number would arrive to inject some energy, as many of the songs were slower in tempo. While these numbers will undoubtedly appeal to dedicated Johnny Cash fans, I felt the production occasionally lacked momentum, this was particularly noticeable in Act Two, where the storyline becomes much more sombre and almost every scene and song is delivered at a similarly slow pace. Personally, I think some material could have been trimmed to improve the overall flow. In fact, I feel the production may have benefited from being a single 90-minute performance without an interval.
Unfortunately, another weakness of the production was the sound balance. Throughout many of the musical numbers, particularly the more upbeat songs, the band often overpowered the singers. I frequently struggled to hear June clearly for much of the show, the melodies came across well, but the lyrics were often difficult to make out, which was disappointing given how strong her performance was. The sound levels and microphone balance could certainly have been improved.
As the show came to an end, the band performed a medley of Johnny Cash hits while the audience exited the auditorium. Interestingly, the sound levels were noticeably stronger, and the music was more upbeat and energetic than much of what had been heard throughout the production. It felt like a missed opportunity that more moments like this were not incorporated into the show itself, as they would have helped maintain the pace. There were also several moments where I felt some simple choreography would have elevated the production. One of the highlights for me was I've Been Everywhere, which was energetic, entertaining and had the audience tapping along. However, while Johnny and June performed the song, the rest of the company remained in the background, dancing on the spot and clapping in time with the music. Introducing even a small amount of choreography could have enhanced the theatricality of the number and helped the production embrace its identity as a musical, rather than relying so heavily on a realistic style throughout.
With all that said, the production is ultimately elevated by the outstanding performances of Christopher Ryan Grant as Johnny Cash and Christina Bianco as June Carter. Bianco is a remarkable talent who lights up the stage whenever she appears, bringing infectious energy, country charm and a genuine sense of enjoyment to every scene. Her Virginia accent was equally charming, feeling authentic and respectful rather than exaggerated or caricatured. Vocally, she was exceptional, delivering soaring high notes with apparent ease throughout the performance. She also demonstrated excellent comedic timing, often providing moments of humour and lightness during some of the show's more emotional scenes. Christina Bianco is undoubtedly a natural talent and I will be interested to see what she does next. In fact, her performance was so impressive that I would happily book tickets for a future production based on her involvement alone, regardless of whether the show itself initially appealed to me.
Leading the cast as Johnny Cash is Christopher Ryan Grant, and it is hard to imagine a more perfectly cast performer for the role. His mannerisms were spot on, his characterisation was excellent and his voice was remarkably close to that of the real Johnny Cash. His ability to deliver Cash’s signature deep, low notes was incredibly impressive. I overheard one audience member remark, “That’s the closest I’m ever going to get to seeing the real Johnny Cash,” which speaks volumes about the quality of Grant’s performance. Throughout the show, he struck the right emotional balance, never becoming overly dramatic during the more difficult periods of Cash’s life and never resorting to excessive shouting during moments of conflict. Instead, he portrayed a troubled and vulnerable man with sensitivity and restraint. My favourite Johnny Cash song is Hurt, a haunting and heartbreaking piece that arrives at a fitting point in Act Two as Johnny struggles with his personal demons. Grant’s rendition of the song was stunning and, for me, the highlight of the entire production. Without Christina and Christopher leading the show, I wonder whether the production would have felt quite as strong. Together, they delivered beautiful and compelling performances that, in many ways, carried the production and elevated it beyond some of its shortcomings. Their chemistry and talent were central to the show's success, and I suspect that with different performers in the leading roles, the overall impact and atmosphere of the production could have been very different.
If you are a Johnny Cash fan, or know someone who is, this production is likely to be a very enjoyable experience and one that feels well worth the ticket price. However, if you are unfamiliar with Johnny Cash or would not consider yourself a fan, you may find it harder to connect with the show. I am not convinced that this is the kind of musical that will create a new generation of Johnny Cash fans. For that reason, I am unsure whether we will see this tour on the road again for a while. That said, devoted fans of Johnny Cash are unlikely to leave disappointed. I am not entirely convinced that the production works as a musical, In many ways, it feels more successful when viewed as a play featuring the music of Johnny Cash rather than a traditional musical theatre production. For fans of Johnny Cash, June Carter, and this genre of music, I would certainly recommend it as an enjoyable evening out. However, for dedicated musical theatre enthusiasts expecting a more conventional musical, this may not be the production for you.
⭐⭐⭐
*Thank you to Theatre Royal Plymouth for the invitation to this production.
SEAT REVIEW
Venue: Theatre Royal Plymouth
Seat location: Circle, Row FF, Seat 7.
I often say that the Theatre Royal Plymouth doesn’t have a bad view in the auditorium, and that still holds largely true. However, for this particular production, the placement of the set meant we were unable to see two musicians positioned stage right. Aside from this, there were no issues with sightlines for the rest of the performance. The seating area is also arranged in a short row of just seven seats, which allows for a quick and easy exit at both interval and the end of the show. In addition, this section is quite steeply tiered, providing generous legroom, particularly for the right leg.
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