National Theatre Live: Golden Boy

faithalice5.0

opened my mouth when Josh O’Connor spat and I’m not ashamed

ANDREWGRAINGER15.0

"You are only lost if you knew where you were going."Nice bit of theatre today. I had never heard of this 1937 play by Clifford Odets, never seen the 1939 William Holden (in his first main role) film (though I definitely want to at some point after watching this,) it was also made into a musical in 1964 on Broadway with Sammy Davis Jr. In the lead role, however it's story and the cast of this London 2026 production really appealed to me. "The world goes by at two hundred miles an hour and you want me to wait for the future? I'm in a hurry! I want it now!" Italian/American (Joe Bonaparte) during the American great depression desperately wants to be a violinist but not wanting the life of poverty that the life of an artist often leads to he is driven by a desperate hunger for fame, respect, and material wealth that can be achieved immediately and which ultimately draws him into the world of boxing. The decision is not popular with his Father who witholds the recently purchased violin he wanted to give him making Joe feel rejected. At first Joe although a natural holds back in fights not wanting to risk damaging his hands but as the prize fighting boxing world begins to engulf him with gangsters, and his managers side girl Lorna used to get him to stay in line and follow orders and who Joe falls in love with he falls deeper into despair. When Lorna won't leave his manager Tom Moody and disillusioned with his new found fame he becomes more vicious in the ring, breaking his hand and his dreams of ever being a violinist and eventually Joes spiral downwards reaches a fatal climax."The twice i was in love before i took an awful beating and I don't want it again."In the lead role of Joe is the young Josh O'Connor who I've seen in quite a few things last couple of years (Disclosure Day, The Mastermind, Wake up Dead Man, The history of sound, Challengers) and he gives a strong conflicted performance in this, Joes manager Tom is played wondefully emotionally by Daniel Mays who has been in films (Rogue one, 1917) and so many great British TV shows over the years (A thousand blows, Suspect, The long shadow, code 404, Temple, Des, Ashes to Ashes, Red Riding....I could go on for about 2 pages) and Lorna is played by the beautuful amazing Hayley Squires who I saw in an earlier National Theatre production this year the brilliant All my sons, she was also in the really great TV show Legends this year, as well as season 2 of The Night manager ao she's had a cracking year and I think she's really great. It's quite a big cast but I also want to praise Stanley Townsend who plays Joes dad so passionately and also Zubin Varla who does a great Italian American gangster performance as Eddie Fuseli. Really great acting and great 30s New Yorker accents all around. "You can't get even with people by playing the fiddle. If music shot bullets I'd like it better."I thought having the Little live string quartet behind a sliding window door up on the stage that Joe uses to occasionally let his love of music in but more often than not uses the blind to shut them out was very cleverly done. This was packed full of emotion throughout from the brilliant acting but also the music working beautifully with that building emotion and tension at key points. The set was minimal but clever with different sections, a living room and an office (that later is a prefight/post fight changing room) but don't ever underestimate the power of a punch bag just hanging there swinging, being hit (and sometimes mounted) along to powerful string orchestral backing (evoking a complimentary Raging Bull comparison.) This play is very much like Raging Bull in boxing being just the backdrop to a much deeper character study and struggle."Music is the great cheer-up in the language of all countries."Really great production of a very hard hitting play, not any happiness in sight but very powerful acting by all concerned and a brutally well written play."With music I'm never alone.when I'm alone...When I play music nothing is closed to me. I'm not afraid of people and what they say... But when you leave your room... down in the streets... It's war! Music can't help me there... "

National Theatre Live5.0

'You're just like dead if you ain't got a dollar'Golden Boy with Josh O'Connor is in cinemas worldwide now.Catch heartbreaking performances from this wonderful ensemble, filmed live at the Almeida Theatre and continuing to screen over the next few weeks.Get your tickets for Golden Boy at a venue near you.