August Wilson’s Play Returns To The London Stage After Almost 13 years

Exiting the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre after Daniel Bailey’s interpretation of August Wilson’s Fences, the crowd is met with a mixture of reactions. Some audience members remain tear-stricken by the whirlwind of emotions in Act II, while others stand dumbfounded, still processing the final acts. One thing is unmistakably clear: no one can stop talking about the performance. So palpable is the excitement in the air that conversations instinctively turn to dissecting every nuance of the production.

The presence of Wilson’s widow, acclaimed costume designer Constanza Romero, added a quiet significance to the performance. The evening feeling like a fitting tribute to his work.

The play itself takes place on the front porch of a house in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a space we’re only granted access to a handful of times. It opens with best friends Troy (Roy Fearon) and Jim (Everal A. Walsh) arriving home after a hard day of work. The ping-pong of their dialogue is amusing but revealing. Troy, a former baseball player now working as a garbage collector, displays a tough exterior that is only mildly splintered when he jokes around with his best friend, Jim ( Everal A Walsh) and his wife, Rose (Madeline Appiah). Yet, even from our first encounter there’s a sense of gentle unease between the couple.The only time we see Troy refrain from cracking a joke or smiling is when either of his sons enter - Cory (played by Josh Tedeku), a high school student and aspiring American football player and Lyons (Michael Ahomka-Lindsay), a zealous saxophonist.

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Through the background conversations about the struggles Black Americans face in 1957, we gain a clearer understanding of Troy’s frustration with American society. Surrounded by a half-built fence, Lily Arnold’s set design turns the house into a symbol of Troy's bitterness and his feeling of being trapped by his own life . Rather than taking responsibility for his wrongdoings, he unconvincingly finds scapegoats for every significant setback. The house’s slightly worn but stable exterior mirrors the effects of yielding to a society that has rejected him, reflected in his physical appearance. Although Troy attempts to stand tall when confronted by death or memories of his father, described as “the devil himself”, we catch the tiniest glimpse of defeat when no one is looking.

As the fence is gradually built throughout the production, we watch it become both a source of protection and a form of imprisonment. This layout directly reflects the play’s central thesis: “Some people build fences to keep people out… and other people build fences to keep people in.” We see the physical and psychological toll of this structure firsthand, as it traps the characters within Troy's unyielding orbit or shuts them out entirely. The intricacies of the sounds we hear throughout the production also tell their own story. Khalil Madovi finds a way to combine the cacophony of a military drumline with jazz ballads, hinting at what is to come for Cory by the end of the play while also revealing the bond between the brothers, despite the hatred their father possesses for them.

This profound connection is echoed by the cast. In a conversation after the play, Ahomka-Lindsay noted that sharing the production with a Black audience creates an atmosphere that is truly second to none. The reactions are so raw and explicit that we find ourselves getting caught up in the moment, reacting out loud alongside a sea of gasps and “Heshhh” that almost hypnotises us into joining in. And this energy isn’t reserved for the audience alone. The actors feel it, too. They hear the kissing of teeth at a line that is simply too ridiculous to ignore, or the cheering that follows Ahomka-Lindsay’s absolutely gorgeous saxophone playing. These reactions settle the actors into their roles, as if validating that every line and beat has landed perfectly. This encouragement sustains the actors through the play's most demanding moments, particularly the explosive Act II confrontation between Troy and Rose. Outside the theatre, the celebration of Black creativity continues. From signature Kai Collective NAO tank tops to meticulously tailored outfits featuring luxury streetwear brands like Daily Paper, Telfar, and Cortiez, this artistic energy extends far beyond the stage.

Suffice to say, this production possesses an electric intensity grounded by a solemn undercurrent. Daniel Bailey fully embraces Wilson’s work and doesn’t shy away from its most arduous scenes. Instead, he reminds us that humour and beauty can still be found within even the most burdensome themes.

Fences plays at the Lyric Hammersmith, London, until 31 October.