JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK

In 1922 Dublin and Ireland were in a state of turmoil; the Irish Republican forces had just fought a bloody and costly War of Independence between 1919 and 1921; only to see their forces split over the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty which ended the War of Independence but sparked the even bloodier Irish Civil War of 1921 and 1922. The War of Independence had achieved partial independence from Britain, however the country was partitioned and full independent status was not achieved. While any war is disastrous, a Civil War is particularly painful as one fights not with an enemy but with oneself. This is the Dublin in which Juno and the Paycock is set; and this is one of the core messages from O’Casey in this play. Also addressed is the numbing poverty of Dublin and the effects that has on the morals of the people; and the failure of man, (read the male), to rise above their own hubris. All of O’Casey’s plays feature male characters that ultimately fail themselves and others, leaving the female characters to carry on in their own private and inevitable tragedy. This is perfectly reflected in the characters of Juno and her daughter Mary. The play’s political commentary casts derision upon the revolutionaries, who in turn become those which they overthrew; and savagely attacks the poverty which still affected the country after partial independence was achieved. Nevertheless, for such bleak themes, the play has plenty of humourous moments and the famous Dublin wit is well employed by O’Casey’s characters, as their smart one liners and biting gibes help to alleviate the crippling reality that engulfs them. Much like it did at the time, one imagines. O’Casey’s three Dublin plays: The Shadow of a Gunman, The Plough and the Stars and Juno and the Paycock are firmly rooted in the Dublin of the times: revolutionary and poor. Yet filled with characters who are a mixture of the real and the fantastic; characters the audience at that time would have surely found relatable; and who, unfortunately, still resonate and relate today. Matinee performance Sunday, 8 May commences at 3pm All other performances commence at 8pm