The Ballad of Johnny and June
Rating: ★★★★
Venue: Richmond Theatre

This thrilling new musical from the director of Jersey Boys celebrates the love, music and mayhem of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. Featuring barnstorming performances and electrifying chemistry from Christopher Ryan Grant (Million Dollar Quartet) and Christina Bianco (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Wizard of Oz), this is Johnny and June like you’ve never seen them before.

Whether you're familiar with the musical or not, you'll already be familiar with the legends themselves; Johnny Cash and June Carter. The Ballad of Johnny & June is a jukebox musical that was co-created by the son of Johnny and June; John Carter Cash. There's a comfort in knowing that the closest family member to the duo approves of the show and played a role in producing and acting as story consultant on the piece.

The Ballad of Johnny & June follows the story of June Carter (Christina Bianco) and Johnny Cash (Christopher Ryan Grant), as told by their son, John Carter Cash (Ryan O'Donnell). The show spans almost sixty years from their very first meeting in the 1950's, to their deaths in the noughties. It follows their journey through their failed marriages that lead them to one another, to the highs and lows of their own marriage. It's an emotional rollercoaster to say the least.

Where some jukebox musicals fail is trying to authentically fit songs into a moment or scene, and when not done correctly it can feel quite jarring. However, most of the songs are sung as part of live performances that actually took place throughout that time period, meaning that nothing felt out of place.

From June's (Bianco) and Johnny's (Grant) first encounter, their chemistry is already sizzling and only grows along with their relationship. The two leads are nothing short of perfection, bringing the icons to life in such a way that's almost eerily brilliant. The mannerisms, body language, tone; the care that's been put into giving an accurate portrayal is clear. Johnny and June's love radiates throughout and is truly the core of the show. The voices of the entire ensemble are exceptional but Grant and Bianco are so similar to their real life counterparts that it almost feels as though they're on stage.

Despite the draw likely being Johnny Cash for most audience members, it's Christina Bianco's dominant but somehow soft portrayal of June that left me in awe throughout the production. It's much like the movie, Priscilla, in that it highlights the significance of a strong woman that deserved far more credit than she was given.

The set design by Robert Brill is simple but is completely transformative of the time period with the use of a screen above the stage highlighting the setting of each particular location. The lighting design by Amanda Zieve is also worthy of a mention. It felt somewhat reminiscent of Oklahoma! at the Young Vic, with the house lights being up for a large portion of the show which really immersed you into the setting of live music rather than a theatre production.

When it comes to the music, the obvious standouts are the iconic numbers such as "I Walk the Line", "Ring of Fire", "A Boy Named Sue" and "I've Been Everywhere". However, the song that was the highlight for me was "No Swallerin' Place" which really pinpoints the benchmark of June's charisma and power that only grows throughout. 

One aspect that was slightly confusing was distinguishing between characters, particularly at the beginning. Each actor plays a variety of different roles, and there simply wasn't enough distinction between each character. However, after the first thirty minutes or so, it became less jarring. 

Having known little about the pair before going into the production, I left feeling as though I had a connection to the pair. The music and the love of Johnny and June are the main focal points of the show and they both shine so brightly throughout that it's almost impossible not to enjoy yourself. A true celebration of country music, remembering two greats, flaws and all.