Lenny Henry takes on the role of lead character, Troy Maxson, after remarkably successful West End outings in Othello and The Comedy of Errors. However, this production of August Wilson’s classic inner city drama is much more about Troy than it is about Henry’s acting. All of the characters in Fences revolve around this complex and poignant character as he pushes his way through life’s sequential hardships.
Set in the late 1950s and part of August Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle Fences discusses many themes, including race relations, aging, family dysfunction, friendship, adultery, sport and what it means to those who have little else. Troy is a retired could-have-been baseball player who feels bitter injustice at every turn in his life and reacts with a mixture of inspiring bravery and reckless viciousness. His story is harrowing and heart-warming all at once, while the play as a whole is a complex exploration of the human character, both contextually and universally.
With a Fences theatre break, you can expect to be transported back to inner-city Pittsburgh in the 1950s, a setting that is charged with racial tension, class divisions and family dysfunction, while being soaked with laughter, camaraderie and community. Everything from the set designs to the accents helps recreate the context in which this moving drama plays out.
Booking a fences theatre break allows you to see this excellent piece of theatre and stay in luxury accommodation in the heart of the West End. We offer a range of hotels from clean and convenient 3 stars, to extravagant and lavish 5 stars, all of which locate you perfectly for seeing Fences at The Duchess Theatre. You can turn a Fences theatre break into a memorable city break by adding on package extras such as a pre-theatre meal, a flight on the London Eye or a trip to one of London’s famous palaces.
“The cast is uniformly excellent” The Telegraph
“Lenny Henry's towering performance further proves his status as a serious actor” The Independent
“[Lenny Henry] takes the lead in August Wilson’s Fences, as rich a part — and as good a play — as you’ll find in 20th-century American drama.” The Daily Mail
Monday - Saturday evenings @ 7.30pm | Thursday & Saturday matinees @ 2.30pm
Running time - 2hrs 40mins
Booking until - 14/09/2013