Judy: End of the Rainbow – the final months of a tortured star (Grand Opera House until Saturday 26 September)

Judy: End of the Rainbow tells the story of Judy Garland’s final months in 1969. After a life in which so many aspects had been controlled by men, the fragile star is long past her glorious heyday. Her fans may still adore her Vaudeville act, but her spirit is broken. Garland’s latest fiancé, Mickey Deans, has organised a six-week residency in London to tackle her debt. But the ‘Talk of the Town’ threatens to be about negative comments on Garland’s body, spirit and lack of financial liquidity rather than praise of her starry singing.

Anna-Jane Casey is back on the Grand Opera House stage having played Sally Durrant last year in NI Opera’s Follies. Casey captures Garland’s mannerisms and vocals. The play’s script is dense, lit up by occasional moments of music. There’s an amazing stand-up row in the first act with Mickey Deans (a tall and youthful Darragh Shannon) whimsically accompanied by Anthony (Will O’Connell) on the piano.

The sporadic songs make Casey flit between upbeat Judy (pepped up by pills first foisted upon the teenage actress by film studio executives) and a downbeat woman who veers between wanting to go clean and needing more prescription medications and booze to keep going. She’s both a master manipulator and much manipulated by the men around her.

While watching the talented star wither in front of their eyes, the audience must decide whether Deans is just the latest in a succession of men who have used and abused Garland’s talent, or whether he’s just failing to keep control of her excesses. The pair’s dependency swings both ways. The difficulty is that other a lot of early act one kissing, Peter Quilter’s script doesn’t leave much room for their relationship to be portrayed as anything other than fractious and almost completely loveless.

The character with most empathy is Anthony. He has accompanied Garland – on the piano and through his loyal friendship – for years. Anthony can sweettalk her into getting ready for a show, and can also recognise when performing on stage is the last thing she needs. Quilter crafts a precious and very loving second act conclusion to their friendship.

William Morgan also appears on stage as a hotel porter, BBC radio interviewer, and a frustrated stage manager.

Ciarán Bagnall’s intimate set with gilded furniture combines Garland’s hotel room and a concert space. The raised wooden floor creaks, and every noisy footstep – particularly as Judy walks across the stage in heels – feels amplified. (The absence of legs – floor to ceiling drapes – leaves parts of the backstage visible to the audience.)

Casey/Judy is micced continuously, not just when she’s singing. However, the men aren’t. This leaves a very strange sound mix of Judy coming through the side speakers while the men’s voices radiate from wherever they’re standing on the stage. As a result, at times not everything is distinct.

Fans of live music will also decry the lack of a live band in the pit. O’Connell plays some songs live, and theatrically conducts the prerecorded tracks – with very synthy string pads behind the brass.

After the interval, the faltering execution of When You’re Smiling extinguishes any remaining hope audience members will have a happily ever after ending is possible.

There’s no way to disguise that this is a distressingly sad story: a cautionary tale that unfortunately is one of many back then and still today in the entertainment industry. Garland’s dialogue throws up some great one-liners, but the inclusion of Over the Rainbow at the end couldn’t quite overcome the grim mood that settled over me during the previous two hours.

This Irish production of Judy: End of the Rainbow continues at the Grand Opera House until until Saturday 26 September.

Photo credit: Marcin Lewandowski

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