The Ballad of Johnny & June – Hull New Theatre

The applause started immediately after curtain up on Tuesday night when The Ballad of Johnny & June hit the Hull New Theatre stage.

We were showing our appreciation for the fantastic music being played by on-stage musicians who were sometimes visible, yet mostly obscured, throughout the production – a production that would have been nothing without their amazing, tuneful contribution under Connagh Tonkinson’s direction.

This new musical, from the book by Robert Cary and Des McAnuff (who also directed) being the story of country music legends Johnny Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, was obviously going to be brimful of harmonies, yet behind those famous tunes – Jackson, I Walk the Line, A Boy Named Sue and Ring of Fire to name just a few hits – lay a world of drug-taking, tragedy, adultery, booze, rebellion and heartbreak.

But it’s the love between the two that shines out over everything. Both wed to other people when they first met, their chemistry was so strong, nothing would have torn them apart.

Johnny Cash’s on-stage journey to eventually becoming the King of Country didn’t show him in a good light.

His drug-fuelled rants were as legendary as his music, apparently, but his binges didn’t stop him having a successful recording career spanning from 1955 up to his death in 2003, just four months after the death of his wife. Yes, June eventually accepted Johnny’s proposal of marriage and the pair wed on March 1, 1968.

June’s mother, Maybelle, was a founder member of the famous Carter Family, one of the most important American music acts in the early 20th century – and June toured and recorded with a later version of them in the 1970s.

The couple’s tumultuous pairing was played out on a stage that resembled a huge barn. Tall wooden-slatted dividers create diversions with wooden crates, chairs and, weirdly a mannequin, dotted around. A tape machine of the era whirled to one side, and light bulbs lit up the sides of the stage. Overhead hung what looked like metal girders while a static background often showed still photos of by-gone audiences.

When the unmistakable figure of “Johnny Cash” (aka Christopher Ryan Grant) strolled on to the stage the audience greeted him with loud applause as if he really was the “man in black”, a name Cash gave himself to symbolise his solidarity with the poor, prisoners, and marginalised people, and to protest social injustices such as the Vietnam War.

June (Christina Bianco) was shown to be a little firecracker who stood no nonsense from her drug-taking hubby, although it turned out she wasn’t squeaky clean in that department.

But together they sang their way through many of their famous duets, including If I Were A Carpenter as well as the aforementioned Jackson.

Their story was narrated by their guitar-playing, singing, unborn son (at first), John Carter Cash (Ryan O’Donnell) who royally hinted that “recollections may vary” as to whether his parents remembered events correctly.

The twinkle in his eye and the little side snippets he spoke gave us the impression he didn’t really know fact from fiction either – which only added to our enjoyment. He seemed to be the grown-up, whereas his mum and dad were errant teenagers, yet he never let us forget we were watching one of the ”greatest love stories ever told”.

A smallish, yet very energetic cast joined the three to bring this foot-stomping ride to life, with many having more than one role.

Costumes consisted mainly of swirly skirts for the ladies and casual clothes for the males. Johnny stood out in the white shirt and black trousers that many photos of the time capture him wearing; as well as the long black coat he always wore in later years.

Both leads’ singing voices were outstanding, as well as Grant’s guitar playing. His stance as well as the way he held the guitar were pure Cash.

And at times when the music stopped, he excelled in giving us a hint of the singer’s drug-addled rage which often had life-threatening consequences.

Bianco got his wife spot on, according to my theatre buddy on the night, who was very knowledgeable about the couple’s lives.

O’Donnell as their son sang and played guitar very well, while stopping at certain scenes to let us know “I was nine when this happened” or “I am now 13”.

The whole production is a rip-roaring, entertaining blast full of the most wonderful songs and music. Everyone on stage tonight played their part in this most famous of love stories and, though the theatre was far from full, the standing ovation given by the audience at the show’s end went on for quite some time, much to the cast’s delight. I loved it.

The Ballad of Johnny & June runs until Saturday, July 18th 2026 at the Hull New Theatre with tickets available from (01482) 300306 and www.hulltheatres.co.uk 

Age guidance 12+

Reviewer: Jackie Foottit

Reviewed: 14th July 2026

North West End UK Rating: