FENCES

About the show

August Wilson is one of the US’s most respected and lauded playwrights, and Fences is his tour de force. Full of rich and affecting dialogue, this play offers remarkable writing for actors and an unforgettable portrait of life in 1950s Pittsburgh. Winner of the 1987 Pulitzer Prize and recently adapted into an Academy Award-winning film, Fences will have its long-overdue Australian premiere, featuring two of the starring performers from STC’s critically-adored A Raisin in the Sun. Leading an ensemble cast, Bert LaBonté and Zahra Newman return to play Troy, a hardworking family man who’s still nursing the wounds of his failed baseball career, and Rose, his optimistic, resourceful and steadfast second wife. Troy and Rose’s marriage is the centre of a loving yet troubled family unit, buffeted by the winds of change but hamstrung by a history of injustice. Directed by STC’s Resident Director Shari Sebbens, this mesmerising production will bring to life Wilson’s incredible, clear-eyed vision. Fences is a soaring allegory of the radical upheavals in twentieth century America, explored through Troy’s desperate attempts to shed the pain of his dashed dreams, and Rose’s unwavering commitment to protect and nurture everything they built together.