Fences (play)
Fences | |
---|---|
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
Fences is a 1985
Plot
The focus of Wilson's attention in Fences is Troy, a 53 year-old
Troy lives with his wife, Rose and his teenage son, Cory. He has a younger brother Gabe, a World War II veteran whose war injury to his head has caused him noticeable psychological damage. Gabe had received $5,000 from the government, and Troy took control of this money to purchase a home for his family, including a room for Gabe. A short time before the play's opening, Gabriel has rented a room elsewhere, but still in the neighborhood. Lyons is Troy's older son from a previous marriage, and lives outside the home. Bono is Troy's best friend and co-worker.
The play begins on payday, with Troy and Bono drinking and talking. Troy's character is revealed through his speech about how he went up to their boss, Mr. Rand, and asked why
Cory tells Troy and Rose about an opportunity for a college football scholarship. Troy tells Cory he will not let his son play football for fear of racial discrimination, just as Troy believes he experienced when he wanted a career in the National leagues. However, it is suggested later on that Troy told Cory's coach that his son is no longer able to play football. When Cory discovers this, he and Troy get into a fight resulting in Troy sending Cory to his room. Later, it is revealed that Troy's age after serving a prison sentence, not his race, may have been the primary factor. Father and son argue about Troy's actions, but Troy stubbornly does not back down from his argument and kicks Cory out of the house. Later it is revealed that Cory enlisted in the military after this event.
Troy admits to Rose that he has been having an affair and that his mistress, Alberta, is pregnant. Later, Alberta dies in childbirth. Troy brings his baby daughter Raynell home, and Rose agrees to raise the girl as her own, saying: "From right now . . . this child got a mother. But you a womanless man." She remains in the family home but the couple are estranged; she refuses to accept Troy back into her life.
Seven years later, Troy has died. Cory comes home for a visit from the military where he is a corporal in the Marines. He initially refuses to go to his father's funeral due to long-standing resentment, but he is convinced by his mother to pay his respects to his father — the man who, though hard-headed and often poor at demonstrating affection, nevertheless loved his son. The family say their farewells to Troy and offer forgiveness that may not be fully deserved.
Allegories
The brother Gabriel is potentially an allegory to salvation. Other than being actually named Gabriel, like the angel, Gabe wears a trumpet, constantly chases away unseen "hellhounds", and regularly believes himself to be speaking with Saint Peter. At the end, just before Troy's funeral, the family gathers around Gabe in the yard. He blows three times into his trumpet, but no sound comes out. In a moment of trance, Gabe begins to dance and sing. The sun breaks through the clouds while the family looks on. Troy is at last delivered and the rest of the family is too; each seeming to find peace in their relationship with Troy. [citation needed]
The fence referred to by the play's title is built over many years and is revealed to be finished only in the final act of the play. It is not obvious as to why Troy wants to build it, but a dramatic
Productions
Fences was first developed at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's 1983 National Playwrights Conference.
It premiered at the Yale Repertory Theatre in 1985, under the direction of Lloyd Richards (who was then Artistic Director of the Yale Rep), with a cast of James Earl Jones (Troy Maxson), Mary Alice (Rose), Ray Aranha (Jim Bono), Russell Costen (Gabriel), and Courtney B. Vance (Cory).[1]
The play's first Broadway production was staged at the
The first Broadway revival of the play opened at the
In August, 1990, the play received its premiere production in the UK by Liverpool Playhouse in association with West End producer, Bill Kenwright, in a production by Temba Theatre Company's artistic director, Alby James, starring Hollywood movie star Yaphet Kotto as the protagonist Troy Maxson, and coming star, Adrian Lester, as his son, Cory. Financial Times critic Alastair Macaulay wrote: "Congratulations to the Liverpool Playhouse for presenting this, its British premiere, and for doing it proud...' and 'The director Alby James has done wonders in making his largely English cast absolutely persuasive as these Americans."[6]
In 2013, the play was revived again in the UK by
Cast and characters
Characters | 1987 Original Broadway cast | 2010 Broadway revival |
---|---|---|
Troy Maxson | James Earl Jones | Denzel Washington |
Rose Maxson | Mary Alice | Viola Davis |
Jim Bono | Ray Aranha | Stephen McKinley Henderson
|
Cory Maxson | Courtney B. Vance | Chris Chalk |
Lyons Maxson | Charles Brown | Russell Hornsby |
Gabriel Maxson | Frankie Faison | Mykelti Williamson |
Raynell Maxson | Karima Miller | Eden Duncan-Smith SaCha Stewart-Coleman |
Awards and nominations
Original Broadway production
Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987 | Tony Awards | Best Play | August Wilson | Won | [16] |
Best Leading Actor in a Play | James Earl Jones | Won | |||
Best Featured Actor in a Play | Frankie Faison | Nominated | |||
Courtney B. Vance | Nominated | ||||
Best Featured Actress in a Play | Mary Alice | Won | |||
Best Direction of a Play | Lloyd Richards | Won | |||
Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Play | August Wilson | Won | [17] | |
Outstanding Actor in a Play | James Earl Jones | Won | |||
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Frankie R. Faison | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | Mary Alice | Won | |||
Outstanding Director of a Play | Lloyd Richards | Nominated | |||
Pulitzer Prize | Drama | August Wilson | Won | [18] | |
Theatre World Awards | Courtney B. Vance | Won | [19] |
2010 Broadway revival
Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Won | [20] | |
Best Leading Actor in a Play | Denzel Washington | Won | |||
Best Leading Actress in a Play | Viola Davis | Won | |||
Best Featured Actor in a Play | Stephen McKinley Henderson
|
Nominated | |||
Best Direction of a Play | Kenny Leon | Nominated | |||
Best Original Score | Branford Marsalis | Nominated | |||
Best Scenic Design in a Play | Santo Loquasto | Nominated | |||
Best Costume Design in a Play | Constanza Romero | Nominated | |||
Best Lighting Design in a Play | Brian MacDevitt | Nominated | |||
Best Sound Design in a Play | Acme Sound Partners | Nominated | |||
Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Won[a] | [21] | ||
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Chris Chalk | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | Viola Davis | Won[b] | |||
Outstanding Music in a Play | Branford Marsalis | Won | |||
Theatre World Awards | Chris Chalk | Won | [19] |
Film adaptation
A
Notes
- ^ Tied with A View from the Bridge.
- ^ Tied with Frances de la Tour for The History Boys.
References
- ^ "Fences at Yale Repertory Theatre 1985". about the artists. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ Gans, Andrew, and Kenneth Jones, "'Fences', with Academy Award Winner Denzel Washington, Opens on Broadway", playbill.com, April 26, 2010.
- ^ "Tony Award nominations", abcnews.go.com,
- ^ Gans, Andrew and Jones, Kenneth."2010 Tony Nominations Announced; Fela! and La Cage Top List" Archived May 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, May 4, 2010.
- ^ "Winners List – All Categories", tonyawards.com, June 13, 2010.
- ^ Macaulay, Alastair, The Financial Times, August 17, 1990.
- ^ "Henry Builds Fences in London", Official London Theatre.
- ^ Broadbent, Giles (July 1, 2013). "Stage review: Fences, Duchess Theatre", The Wharf, accessed September 28, 2014.
- ^ Spencer, Charles (February 28, 2013). "Fences, Theatre Royal, Bath, review". The Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ Shilling, Jane (June 27, 2013). "Fences, Duchess Theatre, review". The Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ Mitford, Oliver (June 25, 2013). "Fences Review", Best of Theatre, accessed September 28, 2014.
- ^ Taylor, Paul (June 27, 2013). "Theatre review: Fences – Lenny Henry's towering performance further proves his status as a serious actor". The Independent. London.
- ^ a b Hitchings, Henry (June 27, 2013). "Fences, Duchess Theatre – theatre review", London Evening Standard, accessed September 28, 2014.
- ^ Edge, Simon (June 28, 2013). "Theatre review: Fences", Express, accessed September 28, 2014.
- ^ Gurlter, Camilla (June 29, 2013). "Review: Fences", A Younger Theatre, accessed June 28, 2014.
- ^ "1987 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 1987 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ "August Wilson". Pulitzer Prize. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ a b "Theatre World Award Recipients". Theatre World Awards. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ "2010 Tony Awards". Tony Awards. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ "Nominees and Recipients – 2010 Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ Viagas, Robert (April 22, 2016). "Denzel Washington's Fences Film Begins Shooting Today". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (December 8, 2016). "AFI Awards: Best Of 2016 Film List Includes 'Silence', 'Hacksaw Ridge' & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- ^ "Golden Globes 2017: The Complete List of Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. December 12, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
Further reading
- Wilson, August (1986). Fences: A Play (First ed.). New York: Plume. ISBN 0-452-26401-4.
- Vecsey, George (May 10, 1987). "Sports of the Times; Ray Dandridge, The Hall of Fame and 'Fences'". The New York Times. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
- Napierkowski, Marie Rose, ed. (January 2006) [1998]. "Fences". Drama for Students. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale; eNotes.com. Retrieved June 26, 2008.