August Wilson's Fences
About August Wilson’s Fences
A gripping story of family, race and the American Dream.
A Headlong, Leeds Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester production
Directed by Daniel Bailey
“You born with two strikes on you before you come to the plate.”
Troy is a former baseball player who could’ve gone pro. He spends his days collecting garbage and his evenings spinning stories for family and friends. He is funny, charismatic and fiercely proud. He’s also a man with flaws, shaped by a lifetime battling a world that denies his dreams. And the scars run deep.
His wife, Rose, sees America changing. She dares to believe life can be different and dreams that their son, Cory, will have the freedom that Troy never did. But as Rose works to break the cycles holding her family back, Troy’s frustration and bitterness threatens to tear them apart.
Alive with rhythms of blues and jazz, humour and heartbreak, Fences is August Wilson’s Pulitzer prize-winning masterpiece. Set in the 1950’s, it is a timeless and deeply human portrait of grief, love and what it means to be a family in post-war Black America.
The Playhouse’s associate partner Headlong returns to the stage with August Wilson’s landmark play, Fences. One of the defining plays of the 20th century, it returns to the UK for the first time in over a decade in a vital new production directed by award-winning director Daniel Bailey (Red Pitch, West End).
This production is generously supported by Charles Holloway OBE.
August Wilson’s Fences is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk
Reviews
“A powerful piece of theatre.” ★★★★
The Reviews Hub (For Headlong’s A Raisin in the Sun, 2024)
“Urgent, fascinating… a moral thriller.” ★★★★
WhatsOnStage (For Headlong’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2026)
Tickets
Please see important booking information below.
Booking information
Ticket prices:
Standard – from £15.00
Concessions – from £5.00
Tickets are subject to a transaction fee
Dates & times:
Wednesday 30 September 2026 at 7.30 pm
Thursday 01 October 2026 at 2.30 pm
Thursday 01 October 2026 at 7.30 pm
Friday 02 October 2026 at 7.30 pm
Saturday 03 October 2026 at 2.30 pm
Saturday 03 October 2026 at 7.30 pm
Running time:
This show has an interval
Age guidance:
12+
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