In our collective pop-culture subconscious, we’ll always remember Hollywood icon Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale — the lost little girl from Kansas with the big hazel eyes and the tremble in her voice. We think of her ruby slippers, the yellow brick road, and the terrier in the wicker picnic basket. In our hearts and mind, she’ll always be that sensitive girl with the big voice who sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Unfortunately, that version of Judy Garland was not the reality.
Under the direction of Sarah Quick, Globus Theatre presents a bold look at the final days of Judy Garland in its production of Peter Quilter’s End of the Rainbow.
Starring Leisa Way as Judy Garland, M John Kennedy as Judy’s manager-fiancé Mickey Deans, and Michael Rawley as Judy’s pianist Anthony, End of the Rainbow is a bleak but loving tribute to an entertainment legend.
Written by British playwright Peter Guilter in 2005, End of the Rainbow made its debut at the Sydney Opera House in Australia before moving to London’s West End, where it won several theatrical awards. The show didn’t make its North American debut until 2012, where it became an off-Broadway hit and was nominated for three Tony awards.
End of the Rainbow is part musical revue and part melodrama. Although based on true life events and facts, the show is fictional.
It’s 1969 and Judy Garland returns to London with her new fiancée — and future fifth husband — Mickey Deans to perform a five-week run of shows at the hot London nightclub The Talk of the Town.
Broke, unhinged, and barely holding the pieces together, Judy is reunited with her beloved friend and piano player Anthony who acts as her musical director. It’s an opportunity for Judy to bounce back from career annihilation.
However, despite an attempt to sober up, Judy quickly falls back into her self-destructive cycle of drugs and alcohol to get through the day. As Anthony and Mickey try to care for her and save her, a rivalry grows between the two men who love Judy very much, but in their own ways.
Despite its bleak narrative, End of the Rainbow has a well-written script filled with snappy zingers that relieve the melodrama for the audience with real moments of laughter.
Furthermore, no matter how low Judy falls, the show always shines a sympathetic light on her. It’s a show that was written with kindness, proving that writer Peter Guilter truly admired Judy Garland.
This play presents a realistic look at the Judy Garland who really was, instead of the mythical Judy we hold in our hearts.
Leisa Way gives a lively and energetic performance as Judy Garland, filled with equal amounts of integrity and pathos. She plays Judy at her best and Judy at her worst. She laughs, cries, swears, smokes, drinks, pops pills and, of course, sings.
A powerful vocalist who manages to recapture the elegance and energy of Judy on stage, Leisa wisely doesn’t try to impersonate Judy as much as find a middle ground — where she can believably play Judy as a recognizable figure but still make the character her own.
Although the show is not a musical revue, Leisa (accompanied by Michael Rawley on piano) gives a series of outstanding musical performances such as “The Man Who Got Away”, “The Trolley Song”, “Come Rain or Come Shine”, and, of course, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Sometimes Leisa comes very close to sounding like Judy and sometimes she makes the song her own, but she always manages to capture the essence of Judy’s spirit in every number, making her constantly entertaining to watch.
Leisa’s portrayal is not a pretty one, and it may not be the one that audiences are ready to see. However, it is a very raw character study and Leisa’s performance gives a powerful punch. But she always maintains a sense of respect for Judy, providing a realistic tribute that’s filled with admiration and love.
But Anthony is not created for the show as comedic relief. He represents the personification of the unconditional love that Judy’s friends and fans had for her, and his unsuccessful attempts at trying to save her and keeping her straight are some of the most heart-wrenching parts of the show. Both funny and poignant, Michael Rawley becomes the anchor between two dramatic characters in a downward spiral.
I also need to note Michael’s prowess around the keyboard, and his duet with Leisa of “Me and My Gal” is the most delightful musical moment of the night.
Although Judy’s legion of fans often regard Mickey Deans as an opportunist with an agenda, M John Kennedy gives a surprisingly sensitive performance as the man who would become Judy’s fifth and final husband. A bit of the con man comes out in M John’s performance, but he primarily plays Deans as a man who cares deeply for Judy but doesn’t truly understand her or her needs and, as a result, is deep in over his head.
Also, I want to give a quick shout-out for Mickey Deans’ costumes. Dressed in polyester slacks and double-breasted leisure suits, M John looks like a model from a 1968 Sears catalogue. The costumes are pure vintage gold and add an authentic quality to the show — I’m kind of jealous that I’d never be able to fit in them myself.
I should give a warning about the strong language in the production. As Globus Theatre explains in the program, “Judy swore like a sailor.” She certainly does, but it’s presented in a natural way where it makes sense and isn’t overly excessive. Also worth noting is that End of the Rainbow is not intended for children.
End of the Rainbow is not a nice play, but it’s a very good one. It doesn’t present the Judy you might want to remember, but it’s a powerful character study of the Judy who really was. It’s bleak yet funny, and the love and respect for the legend and legacy of Judy Garland is never lost.
The opening night audience of mainly senior citizens may not have been expecting the show that they saw, but they were captivated by it and gave it a well-deserved standing ovation at the end. This is a brave show and one of the best I’ve seen this year in the Kawarthas.
End of the Rainbow runs until August 1st at the Lakeview Arts Barn (2300 Pigeon Lake Rd., Bobcaygeon). Adult tickets are $29.50 for the show only or $61.50 for dinner and theatre.
