Fences

Fences: Lenny Henry, Tanya Moodie

Once a gifted athlete, Troy Maxson was denied his chance at the big time by the policies of segregation; he now struggles through daily life in a dead-end job in Pittsburgh.

A proud, gregarious and hard-working breadwinner, he is loved and respected by his family and friends; but Troy is also a stubborn hypocrite, blighted by his past and resentful of a world he believes has denied him chances at every turn.

Fearful of history repeating itself, he takes out his frustrations on Cory, his ambitious, sports-obsessed son, and Rose, his compassionate, straight-talking and loyal wife. The complex dynamics that both tear families apart and hold them together are laid bare as Troy, blind to his own mistakes, single-mindedly risks everything he holds dear.

Written in 1983, Fences is part of August Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle. Writing in the grand tradition of Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, Wilson's cycle of plays about the African American experience is widely considered to be one of the most significant contributions to American drama and has won just about every significant award possible. His plays have been produced all over the world.