Review: Golden Boy (Almeida Theatre)
Review by Daz Gale
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After a quiet and even underwhelming summer for new openings, several high-profile shows are throwing their hat in the ring in a bid to win the title of most exciting play at this moment. In this corner is the latest offering from the Almeida Theatre, the Josh O'Connor-led Golden Boy. Hopes are especially high for this one, especially following the news it was coming to cinemas through NTLive before the first performance had even begun. Can they land another hit with this production, or would this be a crucial blow for the usually reliable theatre?
Written by Clifford Odets, Golden Boy received its premiere in 1937, being adapted into a movie two years later. Set in 1930s New York at the height of the Depression, the play centres around Joe Bonaparte, a gifted young violinist who expects to have a future in music. That is until a chance at fame and fortune sees him move into the world of professional boxing. Fighting the expectations of his family and a forbidden love as well as dealing with the pressure from his ruthless manager, he risks losing the person he is through the seduction of the American Dream, confronting what is important to him, and exactly how much he is willing to sacrifice to stay on top.
It is visionary director Sam Yates who is responsible for bringing Golden Boy back to the stage, finding creative ways to revitalise it in a way that feels fresh and exciting, managing to work for a 2026 audience while never losing the essence of Odets’ original writing. It is the deceptive nature of the story that makes it so universal. As somebody who isn’t exactly the sportiest of people, the prospect of watching a play about boxing hardly fills me with excitement - if a similar thought has gone through your head, remember to never judge a book by its cover and go in with an open mind, as this play is certain to blow you away as it did me. There is so much more to the narrative than simply boxing, with Bonaparte dealing with inner conflict as he tries to find his place in this world, battles what is most important to him, struggles with his sense of self and balances the excessive expectations the world has on him. There are elements that everyone will be able to relate to, even if you have never set foot in a boxing ring yourself. If Odets' writing already filled Golden Boy with an abundance of crucial themes, Sam Yates’ direction amplifies them.
It is a production that is slick and polished while having deliberate elements that make it rough around the edges. Gritty at times, and increasingly intense until the play reaches its climax, Yates has found the perfect way to tell this story through no shortage of inspired and creative choices. Live filming is used sparingly but effectively, movement is precise and faultless, and the tension is always unbearable, continually feeling as if we are seconds away from everything exploding - and witnessing several explosions during the course of the action. Rarely have I seen an audience so completely consumed by what they were seeing on stage, even at times when it became uncomfortable. The art of what was being realised in Yates’ direction was astonishing to see, and a chief part of what makes this production such a soaring success.
There is a real juxtaposition between the world of sports and music that is amplified further in this production, thanks to the inclusion of a string quartet. Through composer Isobel Waller-Bridge and sound designer Dan Balfour, there is a real atmospheric element to Golden Boy thanks to the inclusion of this music. From the clever way the quartet are revealed and then put back in their box to the ways they break free and the underscoring that makes for a tense watch, this perhaps unconventional inclusion is a masterstroke from Sam Yates, adding an extra parallel and significance to the original ambitions of the play’s protagonist.
A fantastic set design from Rosanna Vize blurs the various settings together in a stylish way. As characters move from one to the other, the static set reveals some great details, with occasionally dim and subtle lighting from James Farncombe representing the gradual darkness of the story. The use of movement is crucial to Golden Boy, with both Imogen Knight’s movement direction and Kate Waters’ fight and boxing direction making for some thrilling scenes, meticulously performed and creative in their execution.
If the creative choices are impressive in their own right, it is the performance from the cast that really wows. Daniel Mays delivers an intense portrayal of Tom Moody in a performance that toes the line between lightheartedness and sheer problematic anger. It is a complex portrayal and one that Mays absolutely nails, proving what a sensational actor he truly is. Torn between Tom Moody and Joe Bonaparte, Hayley Squires is the perfect catalyst for much of the action as Lorna Moon, opting for an understated approach that makes the eventual larger moments all the more impactful in a mesmerising performance.
Zubin Varla is another standout as Eddie Fuseli in an initially exaggerated and even comedic character that soon lets his sinister side be revealed in an outstanding feat of acting that left me holding my breath. Golden Boy boasts a consistently talented cast, even in the smaller roles that are largely underused such as Richard Fleeshman as Frank Bonaparte, and Stanley Townsend as Joe and Frank’s father in two solid performances.
If the big draw of Golden Boy is the opportunity to see Josh O’Connor back on stage, he certainly doesn’t disappoint in a performance so phenomenal, he will surely be a contender when awards nominations come around. As Joe Bonaparte, O’Connor is initially charming with a zest for life and even a sense of naivety until ambition and circumstance thrust him into the limelight. The one consistent throughout this changing character is the confidence that both the character and O’Connor have, both in the world of the play and in bringing every nuance of this complicated character to life. The change in Bonaparte’s character is flawlessly handled through O’Connor with a series of small and subtle choices that make his performance all the more believable. The gradual change is done so masterfully, you may not even notice the change until one extreme moment near the show’s climax showcases O’Connor’s vast range as an actor. O’Connor is always completely compelling in the role, delivering what is one of the finest stage performances of the year so far in an unmissable portrayal.
Time and time again, Almeida Theatre have proven what a reliable and consistent production house they are, with multiple transfers to the West End and New York in recent years, and no shortage of four and five stars for the majority of their productions a testament to their ability. Well, they have struck gold once again with Golden Boy. There are many reasons to love this pretty perfect production, with all of the cast and creative elements outstanding in their own right. However, it is the combination of Sam Yates’ direction and Josh O’Connor’s lead performance that make this not just pure theatre magic but pure gold. This is a production that packs a powerful punch, resulting in what is confidently a knockout hit.
Golden Boy plays at Almeida Theatre until 31st October. Tickets from https://almeida.co.uk/whats-on/golden-boy/
Photos by Marc Brenner