Sean O’Casey’s Juno And The Paycock, one of the greatest plays of the 20th century, is a devastating portrait of wasted potential in a Dublin torn apart by the chaos of the Irish Civil War.

Unemployed Jack Boyle is quite happy with his working life, or lack of it. He drinks his life away with his sidekick Joxer, while the long-suffering Juno utilises threat and cajolement to try to keep some semblance of family life in their run down tenement flat. Johnny, their son, crippled while fighting for the IRA, hides inside for fear of reprisals. His sister, Mary, is out on strike.

A brief hope of escape is wafted under their noses as news of an inheritance makes its way to them, but life is swiftly brought back into the realms of reality.

Ciarán Hinds and Sinead Cusack return to the National Theatre to lead the cast of Juno And The Paycock.

Juno And The Paycock is a co-production with the Abbey Theatre, Dublin.

For more about Juno And The Paycock at the National Theatre read the First Night Feature.