Fences revival: principal cast to include Ray Fearon and Madeline Appiah

Headlong has revealed the principal cast for its new production of August Wilson’s Fences, which will tour the UK from September.

Directed by Daniel Bailey, the production marks the first major UK revival of the play in more than a decade and is co-produced with Leeds Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester.

The cast will be led by Ray Fearon as Troy Maxson and Madeline Appiah as Rose. They are joined by Michael Ahomka-Lindsay as Lyons and Josh Tedeku as Cory.

The creative team includes set and 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, voice and dialect coach Aundrea Fudge and associate director Amber Ruby.

The production will open at Leeds Playhouse from 11 to 26 September before visiting Oxford Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, HOME Manchester and Nottingham Playhouse.

Part of Wilson’s celebrated Pittsburgh Cycle, Fences follows Troy Maxson, a former baseball player whose ambitions have been shaped by the limitations and prejudices of his era. As tensions grow within his family, his relationships with his wife Rose and son Cory are tested.

Speaking about the production, Fearon said he had long been drawn to Wilson’s writing and described Troy as “such a rich, complex character”. Appiah added that playing Rose was “truly a dream” after first encountering the play during drama school.