Long Day's Journey Into Night

Long Day's Journey Into Night photos

Long Day's Journey Into Night description

TV shows don’t get much better than HBO’s Succession. Actors don’t get much better than Brian Cox. And plays don’t get much better than this. Eugene O’Neill’s 20th century American classic is on in the West End, loved for the playwright’s powerful characters and beautiful language.

Brian Cox stars in an award-winning cast

Brian Cox, whose role in TV’s Succession netted him a collection of awards, is a National Treasure with a long and brilliant career on TV and screen. He plays the head of the Tyrone family, James. Tyrone. As the winner of two British Academy Scotland Awards, an Emmy, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award and two Oliviers, he has the experience needed for this emotional rollercoaster of a role. This is Cox’s first stage appearance in almost ten years, making it a real treat for lovers of fine acting.

Cox is joined by the Golden Globe and Emmy winning Patricia Clarkson of Sharp Objects and House of Cards, who plays Mary Tyrone. BAFTA nominee Daryl McCormack (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) plays James junior, Louisa Harland (Derry Girls, Ulster American) is Cathleen and Laurie Kynaston (Spring Awakening, Bare, The Son, Fool Me Once) plays Edmund Tyrone.

A four act play about one unforgettable day

The play takes place on one day in August 1912, in the Tyrone family’s seaside holiday home Monte Christo cottage, Connecticut. O’Neill used his own dysfunctional, chaotic family as the inspiration, giving the characters an unusually strong autobiographical feel.

The play explores a family struggling to cope with life’s realities, and the consequences of their failings. The sons and their parents blame each other for all sorts of reasons. Instead of compassion and kindness they’re full of bitterness and envy.

This poisonous brew of emotional and psychological distress is only made worse because they can’t analyse their own motivations or speak honestly. Addiction, broken dreams, flawed morals and challenging family relationships are your themes, so prepare for some very satisfying heartache.

Creative talent

Lizzie Clachan is the designer and Jack Knowles is the lighting designer. Tom Gibbons is sound designer and Polly Bennett is responsible for movement direction. Casting is by Jessica Ronane and the associate director is Justina Kehinde.

A highly charged human story that never grows old

You’ll feel the realism, and that’s one of the things that keeps this family drama coming back to the stage time and time again. The world changes, life changes, but the human condition remains the same – and it’s frequently painful.

Published posthumously in 1956, this is one of the greatest 20th century American plays. It hit Broadway in November 1956 and won the Tony for Best Play. O'Neill received the 1957 Pulitzer Prize for Drama posthumously sand his work still hits just as hard, giving audiences a truly satisfying night of sophisticated entertainment.

Starring:

Brian Cox

Playing at Wyndham's Theatre

32-36 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DA GB (venue info)

Directions

Performance Times