Juno and the Paycock

The Boyle family lives in a cramped tenement apartment in Dublin. Mary Boyle stands at the table fixing her hair, with a newspaper laid out beside a small mirror. Her younger brother Johnny crouches silently by the fire, his body thin and marked by injury. Mary reads aloud from the paper about the discovery of Robbie Tancred, whose body was riddled with bullets on a country road. Johnny suddenly jumps up and shouts at her to stop. Then, he storms into the back room. Mary shrugs off his anger and returns to adjusting her ribbon.

Mary and Johnny’s mother, Juno Boyle, enters the flat with a small parcel in hand. She asks if her husband Jack has come in yet. Mary says no, and Juno immediately assumes he’s out drinking with his friend Joxer Daly. She complains about Jack’s laziness, his reliance on her income, and his habit of sneaking Joxer in for tea when she leaves. Juno starts unpacking the sausages she bought and scolds Mary for dressing up and wearing silk stockings while she is on strike. Mary insists she has every right to wear what she wants. Juno challenges her support of Jennie Claffey, a co-worker who got fired. Mary says Jennie was unfairly targeted and that walking out was about standing up for a principle.

Johnny reenters and complains about the neighbor upstairs stomping around and disturbing his rest. Juno offers him tea, but he refuses and mocks her for always suggesting tea as a solution. He asks if the votive candle is still burning under the picture of the Virgin Mary. Juno assures him that it is. Johnny returns to his room, and Juno bemoans the fact that Johnny been the same since his injuries. A bullet damaged his hip, and a bomb destroyed his arm while fighting for the IRA (the Irish Republican Army). Mary insists that Johnny stuck to his beliefs, but Juno shows no interest in that kind of loyalty.

Jerry Devine, a young labor organizer who is romantically involved with Mary, rushes into the flat. Mary goes into the other room just as he enters. Jerry tells Juno that Father Farrell, a local priest, has secured a job for Jack on a building site. The foreman agreed to hire him if he arrives before the dinner break. Juno tells Jerry that Jack is probably still in a pub somewhere with Joxer. Jerry says he will go check and runs off. Frustrated, Juno complains about Jack’s failure to provide for the family and his constant strutting around town like a “paycock.” She says no good will ever come from his friendship with Joxer. As she vents, Jack and Joxer’s voices rise from the stairwell, so she hides behind a curtain to eavesdrop on them.

Jack enters first, singing loudly and praising the quiet of the house. He assures Joxer that Juno is long gone and invites him inside for tea. Joxer steps in and agrees, saying things always feel better in someone else’s flat. The two settle in near the fire, as Jack complains about Juno’s nagging. As Jack reaches for the kettle, Juno pulls back the bed curtain and confronts them. She greets Joxer with mock sweetness and asks if he would like an egg with his tea. Joxer stammers, claims he is in a hurry, and bolts for the door. Jack freezes, then quickly shifts into a story about heading to the job with Joxer.

Jack checks the clock and says they have time to eat before heading out. He announces that his legs feel better than ever. Juno keeps quiet and begins cleaning. Jack and Joxer, pretending to have planned a full day of work, trade proverbs and talk about how everything’s finally turning around. Juno tells Jack to eat his breakfast so she can leave. He refuses and says he has enough pride to go without it. Just as Juno turns to go, Jerry returns with more urgency. He says the foreman is waiting and Jack needs to get there soon. Jack grows defensive, then suddenly clutches his leg and claims he is in pain.

Jerry tries to reason with Jack and says the job will not be too difficult. Jack responds that he cannot climb ladders in his condition. Juno mocks him, saying his legs never bother him on the way to the pub. Jack accuses Jerry of spying on him and resents the idea of anyone tracking his movements. Annoyed, Jerry insists he only came to help. Juno throws up her hands and exits as well, saying she is already late for work but stayed behind to chase out Joxer. As Juno leaves for work, Jack goes to the other room to change.

Jerry catches Mary as she prepares to leave. He tries to talk to her about their relationship and says he will likely be elected union secretary soon. He mentions his steady salary and suggests that they could live a good life together. In response, Mary is cold and distant. When she tries to leave, Jerry blocks her path and accuses her of meeting someone else. He says he saw her leaving a dance class with another man. Mary warns him to let her go or she will call out. Jack bursts out of the bedroom, asking what all the noise is. Mary tears herself away and leaves, and Jerry follows. Jack complains about his children, saying they have no respect and no understanding of what he goes through.

Jack cooks one of the sausages Juno bought while singing to himself. When someone knocks at the door, he quickly hides the pan under the bed in the kitchen. A man pokes his head in and asks if Jack wants to buy a sewing machine. Jack sends him off and resumes cooking. A second loud knock startles Johnny, who appears again, shaken. He demands to know who is knocking. Jack looks out the window and sees a man in a trench coat walking away. Soon after, Joxer peeks into the room and asks about the commotion. Jack invites him back in for tea.

Joxer and Jack eat together, with Jack giving Joxer only bread and gravy while keeping the sausage for himself. They talk about the job and Jack again blames his legs as the reason he can’t work. Their conversation drifts toward the clergy, the unions, and Jack’s past as a sailor. Suddenly, loud footsteps approach. Jack and Joxer panic, thinking Juno has returned. Jack stuffs everything into the cupboard, and Joxer climbs out the window just in time.

Juno enters and tells Jack to change his clothes because Mary is bringing a visitor. Jack changes while grumbling. Mary arrives with a lawyer named Charlie Bentham. After introductions are made, Bentham announces that Jack’s cousin has died and left him a large inheritance. The family erupts with excitement. Jack declares to Juno that he is finished with Joxer forever—only for Joxer to crawl back in through the window, furious. Juno throws him out. Undeterred, Jack grabs Juno’s hand and sings to her out of excitement.