Manchester Theatre News & Reviews

REVIEW - Fences is a must-see production with its compelling characters, dramatic conflicts, and thought-provoking themes

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We were invited to see Fences at HOME, Manchester. Read what our reviewer Erin had to say about this excellent play...

All the events happen in Troy and Rose’s house; the set was created with incredible ingenuity and detail. You are landed directly into the story, a fly on the wall to all these family interactions, and we see the characters grow. The music was hypnotising, and I loved that it changed and adapted with each character’s relationship with music. It was a really nice touch to include some live music to further embrace the audience in the story.

I was impressed by Michael Ahomka-Lindsay (Choir Boy, Miss Myrtles Garden, Reverberation), who played the saxophone live on stage. I was also impressed by Josh Tedeku (Supacell, Boarders, Festival of Slaps), who played Cory as charismatic and layered.

I was empowered by Madeline Appiah (The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The Winter’s Tale, Macbeth) and her performance of Rose. I was mesmerised by her ability to display such deep emotions, whilst holding composure that clashed with her husband Troy. An angry, scarred man, you know Ray Fearon (Champion, My Fault: London, Barbie) did a good job because you come away from the show with strong feelings about the character. Everal A Walsh (Small Island, Through It All Together, Animal Farm) played Jim Bono, a voice of reason amongst all the familial noise. Walsh is grounded and understated as Bono.

My personal favourite performance was Simon-Anthony Rhoden’s (The Harder They Come, The Hot Wing King, Hamilton). I was blown away by his performance- it was unlike anything I've seen before. Gabriel is naturally a more difficult character to portray due to the nature of this unconventional character, but Rhoden’s performance is a testament to his skill. He may not have had the biggest role in the show, but he truly left his mark on that stage.

I appreciated the fact that even through hard times, the family still managed to make jokes and laugh together. The audience was able to laugh along with these jokes too - howls and laughter constantly spread through the audience. There were many themes through the play, and even though one of the biggest themes is race, the theme of family conflict is relatable to everyone.

Fences is not a show you can miss out on. With its compelling characters, dramatic conflicts, and thought-provoking themes, Fences remains relevant today and offers audiences an unforgettable theatre experience. Unfortunately, the run isn’t long, it’s only at HOME until Saturday 7th November, so hurry to get tickets, otherwise you’ll miss the ingeniousness and talent that is Fences.

WE SCORE FENCES...