Review: JUDY – END OF THE RAINBOW, The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin

Most of us were not lucky enough to be in London for Judy Garland’s final, tumultuous performances at the Talk of the Town in 1968. But at The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin audiences are lucky enough to see Anna-Jane Casey bring her back.

First premiering at the Sydney Opera House in 2005 before hit runs in the West End and on Broadway, Peter Quilter’s End of the Rainbow drops us into a London hotel suite in late 1968. Garland is preparing for a five-week concert engagement, caught in a desperate tug-of-war between a potential comeback, chronic exhaustion, and severe substance addiction, flanked by her young fiancé Mickey Deans and loyal pianist Anthony.

At the center of director Conor Hanratty’s revival, Casey does something far more difficult than simple mimicry: she finds a way to sing through Garland rather than merely sounding like her. Avoiding cheap impressionism, Casey resists reducing Garland to a collection of vocal mannerisms or exaggerated physical tics. Instead, she taps into the brightness, giddiness, and defiant optimism that made Garland magnetic, while allowing the fragility beneath to emerge painfully. She pivots between those poles with impressive fluidity: hilarious and flirtatious one moment, terrified and unraveling the next.

Her performance shines brightest during those reconstructed concert sequences. Casey brings her own vocal strength to the material while staying fiercely attuned to the emotional world of the songs. Performing in Garland’s style rather than delivering a museum-piece impersonation, she creates the terrifying, exhilarating illusion of watching a star fight to hold onto the stage, the music, and herself.

Throughout the performance, the play forces the audience to navigate a constant question of blame. Who failed Judy Garland? Was it Mickey Deans for pushing pills to keep her working? The studio system that exploited her from childhood? Her mother? Or Garland herself? Quilter’s script and Hanratty’s staging wisely refuse a neat answer. Garland is never rendered as a passive victim; she is stubborn, flawed, and fighting back. That ambiguity makes the tragic trajectory land harder, leaving the audience longing to save her while knowing no one quite could.

Hanratty’s staging handles the dramatic shifts in scale with precision. Assisted by Viko Nikci’s stark lighting design, the action alternates seamlessly between the claustrophobic panic of the hotel room and the public glare of the concert stage. Niall Kinsella’s musical arrangements feel equally integral, functioning as emotional vessels for memory and survival.

The supporting cast provides essential dramatic ballast. Will O'Connell is deeply affecting as the pianist Anthony, offering a warm, grounded presence that acts as a vital counterweight to the pressure swirling around Judy. William Morgan offers versatile support in dual roles as the Radio Interviewer and Porter.

The one element that feels less settled is Darragh Shannon as Mickey Deans. While Shannon physically suits the role, some beats feel pushed too far, accompanied by an uneven accent. It isn't enough to derail the show's momentum, but it keeps the performance from feeling entirely seamless.

When the production reaches its final image, it earns a sense of immortality. It leaves the audience both heartbroken and emotionally full: not by letting us forget what Garland lost, but by celebrating what she gave and will keep on giving.

Reader Reviews

To post a comment, you must register and login.

Get Broadway News on WhatsApp

Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.

Need more Ireland Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...