The London reviews are in for Fences, Headlong’s touring revival of August Wilson’s Pulitzer-winning 1985 play, which has reached the Lyric Hammersmith after opening at Leeds Playhouse. Ray Fearon plays Troy Maxson, a former Negro League ballplayer turned refuse collector in 1950s Pittsburgh, opposite Madeline Appiah as his wife Rose, in a production directed by Daniel Bailey. The London notices are warm, and two of them give it full marks. Appiah draws the most consistent praise; Fearon divides opinion more, admired by most for his switches between charm and menace but found hard to follow by one dissenter. The three-hour running time is the other sticking point: for some it flew by, for others it dragged.
The verdict: eight reviews of the Lyric Hammersmith run so far, all of them rated: two five-star notices, five four-star and one two-star, an average of 4.0 out of 5. Nearly everyone admires Madeline Appiah’s Rose. Where the critics part company is over length and pace, and over whether Ray Fearon’s Troy is a tour de force or too hard to follow.
What are critics saying about FENCES?
All That Dazzles
“A powerful, moving family drama with outstanding performances, exploring love, betrayal and the scars of the past”
Reviewer: Cat Wiltshire
One of two five-star notices. Cat Wiltshire thinks Wilson’s writing is the strongest thing on stage, and credits Daniel Bailey with giving the actors room while keeping the music, the staging and the quieter moments working for the story.
“Madeline Appiah gives a truly heartbreaking performance as a woman whose loyalty and sacrifices are often taken for granted.”
Her one reservation is length: Troy’s long speeches deepen the character but, in her view, sometimes slow the evening down. Ray Fearon, she says, makes an unlikeable man understandable without asking us to excuse him.
A Young(ish) Perspective
“A beautifully acted revival of August Wilson’s masterpiece”
Reviewer: Antonia Constantin
The other five-star review. Antonia Constantin reads the play as the story of a man who fought limits all his life and then imposes them on the people he loves, and she thinks Bailey’s staging catches that irony exactly.
“Daniel Bailey’s excellent production at Lyric Hammersmith captures this contradiction with remarkable sensitivity.”
She calls Fearon magnificent and Madeline Appiah’s Rose exceptional, and has praise too for the set, the lighting and the jazz and blues score.
Read Antonia Constantin’s full review at A Young(ish) Perspective
Time Out
“Intimate, spectacularly well-acted revival of the August Wilson classic”
Reviewer: Tom Wicker
Tom Wicker argues that what makes this revival work is its closeness: the national tragedy Wilson describes is always anchored in one family’s yard. He admires Lily Arnold’s set, a house that turns to show what goes on behind its walls.
“Fearon gives a tour-de-force performance as Troy, his face quickly switching from easy charm to ugly menace”
He treats the evening as an ensemble achievement, singling out Michael Ahomka-Lindsay as Lyons and Josh Tedeku as Cory, and saves his strongest praise for the clash between Appiah and Fearon once Troy’s betrayal comes out.
The Reviews Hub
“Power, poignancy and parenting”
Reviewer: Susan Elkin
Susan Elkin finds a production with real force behind it.
“In Daniel Bailey’s hands, it’s visceral, intense and arresting.”
She calls Fearon terrific and says Appiah matches him, praising her skill at listening on stage. She also notes how much laughter Bailey draws from the first act before the darker second, and reports a press-night audience reacting audibly to every turn of the plot.
LondonTheatre1
“A longitudinal story that provides much insight into post-war America: well worth seeing”
Reviewer: Chris Omaweng
Chris Omaweng reports that three hours pass more like two, and he thinks Rose’s second-half reckoning finally explains why she stayed with Troy.
“Some things have moved on from the world portrayed in this show, though there’s much that goes on that retains relevance”
He was less sure of some of the delivery, admitting that a few lines and period references passed him by, and observes that setting every scene in the front yard asks for some suspension of disbelief.
London Box Office
Reviewer: Stuart King
Stuart King counts Fences among the great plays of the late 20th century, calls Fearon powerful and Appiah wonderfully measured, and is most interested in how the play traces the lasting harm done by bullying parenting.
“Directed by Daniel Bailey for Headlong, the production is one of the stronger examples of regional theatre collaboration”
He also describes Arnold’s design: a fenced-in porch for the lighter first half, which turns on its revolve once the household starts to come apart.
North West End
Reviewer: Michelle Knight
Michelle Knight praises the raw emotion of the piece and the performances of Fearon and Appiah, and likes the revolving set that lets the audience look inside the house.
“Wilson’s Fences is a respectful, well-acted take on a landmark play.”
She does find the dialogue repetitive in places and thinks the story loses momentum at times, suggesting the last half hour could be shorter.
Liam O’Dell
Reviewer: Liam O’Dell
The dissenting voice. Liam O’Dell enjoyed the opening blast of jazz and Kev McCurdy’s fight direction, but struggled with the lead performance, finding Fearon’s delivery too fast or too mumbled to follow.
“For a production with music hardwired into its core, it lacks the pacing and range to make for an engaging and worthwhile three hours.”
He feels the play’s central conflict arrives too late in the first act, and that the revolving set is underused until then.
For more of the week’s openings, see our review roundups for End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland at the Barbican, Don Black’s From the Heart at the Garrick and Rent at the Tom Stoppard Theatre.
Fences is booking at the Lyric Hammersmith until 31 October 2026.
