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Lenny Henry stars in UK tour of August Wilson's Fences, Feb 2013

Date: 8 November 2012

Lenny Henry will star in a major revival of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fences in the new year. Though full dates are yet to be announced, the production is due to launch a regional tour from Theatre Royal Bath the week commencing 18 February 2013, prior to a planned West End transfer.

Wilson's 1983 play, which forms part of the late dramatist's epic ten-play cycle about the black experience in 20th-century America, centres on Troy Maxson, a former baseball star who is now a garbageman and consumed by bitterness.

Henry, who has recently forged a successful stage acting career with credits including Othello (Northern Broadsides) and The Comedy of Errors (National Theatre), said in a recent interview with the Evening Chronicle: "I am really enjoying the stage work... When you have been a comedian 30 years you have to think what else can I do? Career-wise, being an actor is a good move."

Fences was written in 1983 and made its Broadway premiere in 1987, starring James Earl Jones. It went on to win a Tony Award for Best Play and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play, which is set in Pittsburgh in 1957, was recently revived on Broadway in an acclaimed production starring Denzel Washington, though rumours of a West End transfer failed to materialise.

It was previously seen in the West End in 1990, in a production at the Garrick Theatre starring Yaphet Kotto and Adrian Lester.

The Theatre Royal Bath production will be directed by former Talawa artistic director Paulette Randall, whose credits include Blest be the Tie (Royal Court), August Wilson's Radio Golf (Tricycle), Crossings (Contact, Manchester) and Five Guys Named Moe (Theatre Royal, Stratford East).

NB: This story has been amended. It originally stated the production is the play's UK premiere.

- by Theo Bosanquet & Terri Paddock

Related Content

Internal Links
	Lenny Henry Gets West End Othello Debut, 18 Sep - 24th Apr 2009 News
	1st Night Photos: Lenny Henry's Moor the Merrier - 21st Sep 2009 Photos
	Lenny Henry Back to Bard for Twelfth Night??? - 27th May 2010 Gossip
	Lenny Henry Makes NT Debut in Cooke's Comedy - 18th Mar 2011 News
	Denzel Washington Erects Fences in London??? - 30th Apr 2010 Gossip

Reader Comments

Comment	Date
I went to see Lennie Henry in Fences at Bath and was completely blown away. Fantastic, all the characters really drew me in. We also got the chance to hear from the cast at the end of the play as part of the theatres education programme and it was brilliant to find out how they had developed their characteristations. Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant! please go to the West End more people should see this production. Thank you. - Frances Dansie	06 Mar 13

Good spot Katz - it was indeed at the Garrick in 1990. We've now amended the story. - Whatsonstage.com	08 Nov 12

Surely this isn't the UK Premiere - Bill Kenwright priduced this play at The Garrick Theatre in 1990 with Yaphet Kotto and, I think, Adrian Lester. - Katz	08 Nov 12

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