August Wilson’s Fences is a harrowing exploration of family, responsibility and the cycles of behaviour passed on to generations. An emotionally charged ensemble brings this complex family drama to life at Nottingham Playhouse, led by a commanding performance from Ray Fearon as a father whose bitterness towards the life he’s been dealt threatens to dictate the futures of those closest to him.
Set in 1957 Pittsburgh, the play centres on Troy Maxson, a former baseball player whose thwarted ambitions and resentment towards the injustices of the world have shaped the man he has become. Daniel Bailey’s direction is complemented by Lily Arnold’s set and costume design. A small red-brick house, complete with a distinctly American front porch, provides the setting, while the rotating stage gradually reveals the bare bones of the family home as their vulnerabilities become more exposed. Jazz and blues weave throughout the production, with musical themes for the individual characters.
The wider historical context adds an important layer to this characterisation. Against the backdrop of segregation and the civil rights movement, the play explores a man whose opportunities have been restricted by society. Yet in trying to spare his sons the same frustrations, he risks denying them opportunities he never had himself. It’s a painful paradox: a man who has spent his life railing against the barriers imposed upon him begins to impose barriers of his own. Ray Fearon delivers a compelling performance as Troy, capturing the contradictions of a man who is simultaneously frustrating, unlikeable and deeply sympathetic.
His wife Rose, played by Madeline Appiah, provides emotional heart. When Troy attempts to justify his affair as an escape from the responsibilities that have consumed his life, Rose’s response cuts through his self-pity. Appiah delivers one of the play’s most heartbreaking scenes as Rose confronts him with the hopes and dreams she has set aside for him.
Troy’s relationship with his sons raises difficult questions about what makes a good father. Troy believes that providing financially is enough to earn him the title, but his strained relationships with his sons suggest otherwise, particularly when the accusation that he is just like his own father becomes one of the most cutting things Rose could say to Cory.
Josh Tedeku brings real sympathy to Cory, whose desire to forge his own path is continually impeded by Troy’s stubbornness. Michael Ahomka-Lindsay’s Lyons provides an interesting contrast to Cory, with his continued reliance on his father sitting somewhat awkwardly alongside his desire to live life on his own terms.
As Troy’s friend Bono, Everal A. Walsh offers a valuable glimpse beyond the family home, and his gradual withdrawal from their friendship speaks volumes, quietly signalling his disapproval. Simon-Anthony Rhoden’s Gabriel adds another dimension to Troy’s sense of duty and responsibility, while Aita Mushuku brings a welcome flash of sunshine as young Raynell. Her cheeky smile offers a glimpse of hope that the next generation might grow up in a household filled with more love and less anger.
As Bones observes, some people build fences to keep others out, while others build them to keep people in. It’s a sentiment that captures the heart of this play, exploring the fine line between protecting those we love and holding them back. Emotionally exhausting but ultimately thought-provoking, Fences leaves plenty to reflect on long after the final curtain.
Photos credit: Tyler Fayose
