“You’re just like dead if you ain’t got a dollar” ‘Golden Boy’ on capitalism and male identity

National Theatre Live brings Clifford Odets’ Golden Boy to the screen! Josh O’Connor (Challengers; The Crown) stars in the play which explores male identity, as well as the pressures and failings of a capitalist society. The audience is transported to 1930s New York City, where Joe Bonaparte, a talented young violinist, rejects his passion for music in favour of boxing, so as to better fit into society and earn some quick money; however, with each punch Joe rejects any future as a musician, damaging his hands in the process. 

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Through Joe’s disregard for music and his artistic talent, the play explores male insecurities and the fragility of identity. O’Connor beautifully captures Joe’s desperation to feel a sense of belonging in society, valuing that far higher than his own sense of self: ‘nowadays there’s no time to be soft, you gotta be hard as a rock or go under’. His father (portrayed by Stanley Townsend, The Teacher; Standby), the only person questioning Joe’s turn to fighting and rejection of music, is drowned out by the loud, assertive voices of Joe’s managers.

Lorna Moon (played by Hayley Squires, Legends; I, Daniel Blake), the only female character, is constantly spoken to with hostility and balled out by the man who apparently loves her. Yet, Squires still manages to have such presence, her (comparatively) quieter delivery makes each one of her lines more compelling and allows her witty remarks to evoke even more appreciation. O’Connor and Squires carry the show, the play’s impact resting on their compelling performances.

Director Sam Yates’ (Vanya) addition of a string quartet to Golden Boy makes music’s importance to Joe that bit more tangible. Not only is the audience able to immerse themselves in the melodies, they are also able to witness Joe interacting with the string quartet, making more apparent his relationship with music as the play progresses. Through the string quartet being elevated in the set, the audience is reminded of the significance music and art (should) hold, not just for Joe, but for all of humankind.

While no fights are shown throughout the entirety of the production, the violence remains palpable. The sparring scenes are not omitted, instead Yates cleverly conceals a camera within the punching bag that symbolises Joe’s opponent, with a projection of the black-and-white footage on the back wall. This not only gives the effect that the audience are watching this fight live, but also that we – in seeing Joe from his opponents’ perspective – are part of it and complicit (an idea continued from Yates’ Vanya).

Golden Boy deconstructs the romanticised idea of the American Dream by focussing on the decaying nature of individual identity, as so many turn away from their passion towards earning cash and climbing the social ladder. Joe’s line, ‘you’re just like dead if you ain’t got a dollar’ articulates the pressure to earn money just to be able to survive in a capitalist society, and will resonate with audiences today.

The execution was inventive and effective, yet the second half, in particular, felt rushed, without sufficient time for the audience to absorb the emotion of what was taking place on stage. The closing scene was heart-wrenching (admittedly, it brought me to tears), but the final twist immediately beforehand seemed sudden. While some may love the shock of an abrupt end, personally the hurried nature of it took away from the emotion that was built up throughout.

Golden Boy is a thought-provoking insight into the struggle to stay true to oneself when faced with the pressure to survive in a capitalist society. Despite being written almost 90 years ago, the themes remain as pressing and relevant as ever.

Golden Boy comes to cinemas worldwide from 5 November with National Theatre Live. You can find your local venue at www.ntlive.com