Conor Hanratty On Bringing END OF THE RAINBOW and Judy Garland to Irish Stages

Ahead of the Irish premiere of Peter Quilter’s END OF THE RAINBOW across Cork, Dublin, and Belfast, director Conor Hanratty discusses capturing Judy Garland’s defiant optimism, working with Anna-Jane Casey, and navigating the fine line between stardom and survival.

Judy Garland’s final London concert series forms the backdrop of Peter Quilter’s End of the Rainbow, a drama with music that explores both the electric magic of live performance and the devastating personal cost exacted behind closed doors.

Ahead of the production’s tour across The Everyman in Cork, The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, and the Grand Opera House in Belfast, director Conor Hanratty spoke about crafting the show’s staging, collaborating with lead actor Anna-Jane Casey, and why Garland’s resilience still strikes a chord today.

Bridging Private World and Public Stage

Set primarily inside a London hotel room as Garland prepares for her 1968 engagement at Talk of the Town, the staging fluidly shifts into the nightclub environment for live concert numbers. To ground the production in historical detail, musical director Niall Kinsella researched the specific arrangements Garland performed with during that era. Hanratty also teased a third, surprise location which is kept strictly under wraps for the audience to reveal.

What originally drew you to directing End of the Rainbow?

Conor Hanratty: I’ve worked across theatre, opera, and musicals, and this play sits right at the intersection of all three. Directing a play is always my happy place. But being able to harness the theatrical scale and momentum of musicals, to make the evening as punchy and visceral as possible, is great fun.

How did you tailor the physical staging for three distinct historic venues?

Conor Hanratty: We designed the spatial mechanics specifically for The Everyman in Cork, The Gaiety Theatre in Dublin, and the Grand Opera House in Belfast. They are three radically different auditoriums, and we want the production to fit each space like a glove.

Character over Impression

Anna-Jane Casey steps into a role previously tackled by Tracie Bennett, Jinkx Monsoon, and Caroline O'Connor. For Hanratty, the objective was never a replica act, but tapping into authentic theatrical presence.

How did you approach bringing Judy Garland to life with Anna-Jane Casey?

Conor Hanratty: Judy Garland was the absolute best at being Judy Garland, so we are not doing an impression show. Anna-Jane brings a generous, open-hearted stage presence that mirrors Judy’s own relationship with her public. She steps onstage and the audience immediately falls in love with her. Our goal was finding that exact sweet spot between Anna-Jane’s natural warmth and Judy’s signature quality.

An Ensemble of Heartbreak and Humour

While Casey carries Garland’s public journey, Hanratty stresses that End of the Rainbow operates as a tight ensemble piece, co-starring Will O'Connell, Darragh Shannon, and William Morgan.

The script handles deep addiction alongside sharp comedy. How do you navigate that in rehearsals?

Conor Hanratty: Even when tackling traumatic material, human beings instinctively seek out levity. In rehearsals, we mined the dark moments with total sincerity, but we also found the funniest comedic beats along the way. Having a collaborative ensemble made it possible to navigate that emotional range safely.

Defiant Optimism

Underneath the glamour lies a poignant commentary on child stardom, public scrutiny, and systemic pressure. To counter the exploitative history surrounding historic performers, Hanratty partners with Safety Create across his productions to ensure respectful, supportive rehearsal environments.

Why does Garland’s story continue to feel so urgent?

Conor Hanratty: The pressures of fame, substance dependency, and the exploitation of young performers haven't disappeared. Beyond her struggle, Judy's defining trait was her defiant optimism: even at her lowest points, there was always that persistent hope that tonight’s audience would be the one to fix things.

When Judy showed up, she sang. There’s a moment where, given the catastrophic day she’s had, she logically shouldn't be stepping anywhere near a stage. Yet she walks out and delivers anyway. My overriding hope coming away from exploring her life is simple: I hope the world learns to be kinder.

If Judy Garland could see this production today, what do you think her reaction would be?

Conor Hanratty: I think she’d look down at the stage and say, "God, was I really that good?"

 

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