A BRAND-NEW PRODUCTION OF AUGUST WILSON’S FENCES DIRECTED BY DANIEL BAILEY WILL TOUR THE UK FROM SEPTEMBER CO-PRODUCED WITH LEEDS PLAYHOUSE, LYRIC HAMMERSMITH THEATRE & HOME MANCHESTER.
Pioneering theatre company Headlong have announced today the first details of cast for their brand new production of August Wilson’s Fences, touring the UK this autumn. The principal cast will include Ray Fearon (Othello- RSC, Fleabag – BBC, Coronation Street – ITV) as Troy, Madeline Appiah (In the Long Run – Sky, The Winter’s Tale – RSC, Tina Turner The Musical – West End) as Rose, Michael Ahomka-Lindsay (Choir Boy – Theatre Royal Stratford East & Bristol Old Vic, Cabaret – Kit Kat Club, Playhouse Theatre) as Lyons and Josh Tedeku (Boarders – BBC, Supacell – Netflix) as Cory.
Fences will be directed by award-winning director Daniel Bailey (Red Pitch), with Aundrea Fudge (Voice and Dialect) and Amber Ruby (Associate Director) also in the creative team. It is a co-production with Leeds Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester, marking the first major revival in over a decade of this American blockbuster.
Fences will open at Leeds Playhouse from Friday 11 – Saturday 26 September, before touring to Headlong Associate Partner Oxford Playhouse (Wed 30 Sep – Sat 3 Oct), Lyric Hammersmith Theatre (Tue 6 – Sat 31 Oct), HOME Manchester (Tue 3 – Sat 7 Nov), and Nottingham Playhouse (Tue 10 – Sat 14 Nov).
Ray Fearon said: “I’m so excited to be part of Fences. August Wilson is one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century, I’ve always been drawn to his writing. Troy is such a rich, complex character, and it’s a real joy to get the chance to play him. Fences is one of those plays which stays with you, it captures a powerful honesty about pride, dreams and missed opportunities which resonates deeply. I’m really looking forward to getting into the room with Daniel Bailey and this company and sharing it with audiences across the UK, especially alongside the brilliant Madeline Appiah.
Madeline Appiah added: “Anyone who knows me will know what this moment means to me. I first discovered Fences in drama school and fell in love with it and with the role of Rose. The chance to now play her is truly a dream. I’m so excited to get working on Daniel Bailey’s exciting vision for this powerful piece. Daniel is one of the most important directors of our time and I am thrilled to be working with him. I can’t wait to get into rehearsals with this incredible company and unlock and explore the many themes and layers of this play.”
The creative team for Fences includes Set & Costume Designer Lily Arnold, Composer and Sound Designer Khalil Madovi, Lighting Designer Jai Morjaria, Movement Director Shelley Maxwell, Fight Director Kev McCurdy, Design Associate Emily King, Casting Director Heather Basten CDG, Voice and Dialect Aundrea Fudge and Associate Director Amber Ruby.
Director Daniel Bailey said: “It’s a proper privilege to welcome Ray, Madeline, Michael and Josh to the Fences Family. I can’t wait to realise this shows hidden gems with artists right at the top of their game. I’ve watched them enchant audiences and now we have the opportunity to do that together.”
From August Wilson, one of one of America’s most influential 20th century writers, this landmark play is a story of ambition for our time, exploring ever-present themes including masculinity, motherhood, music and the abiding hope for a different future. Troy Maxson has cheated death once, but the past keeps closing in. On Pittsburgh’s streets, he cracks jokes and spins stories, yet at home, the pressure is building. His wife, Rose holds the family together. She sees a changing world and hopes their son Cory might step into it with more freedom than Troy ever had. But when dreams collide, and tempers flare, the Maxson’s edge towards a reckoning that could reshape everything they know.
Lisa Maguire of Headlong said: “It means so much to be putting August Wilson’s work front and centre for audiences across the country. This extraordinary play encompasses so much of what drives us at Headlong – breathing new life into work that deserves its place in the canon, whilst asking our audiences to think and feel deeply about the world we share.
Despite being written over 40 years ago, the central themes are still all too resonant today. From the streets of Pittsburgh to our own backyard here in the UK – how much can we say has really changed? We’re thrilled to be working with Daniel on his take on this classic.”
Headlong and Leeds Playhouse have forged a highly successful Associate Partnership during Holly Race Roughan’s tenure, collaborating on a string of critically acclaimed productions including Henry V, The House Party, A Raisin in the Sun, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and August Wilson’s Jitney. This production also sees Headlong and Leeds Playhouse reuniting with long-term collaborators the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre after their joint success in 2024 of A Raisin in the Sun, and with HOME in Manchester after their hit The House Party. Headlong will also be returning to their Associate Partner Oxford Playhouse, with their third major touring show at Oxford Playhouse since Headlong relocated to the city.
For more information and tickets, visit headlong.co.uk.
This production is generously supported by Charles Holloway OBE.
English