Eugene O’Neill’s timeless classic of class and identity comes to the Old Vic this October with Richard Jones’ new production of The Hairy Ape, the second production in Matthew Warchus’ opening season as Artistic Director.
Bertie Carvel (Yank) – The Hairy Ape, Photo by Manuel Harlan
The Hairy Ape opens on 29 October, with previews from 17 October, and will see The Old Vic theatre transformed back to its original proscenium arch layout.
A classic expressionist masterpiece by Nobel prize-winner Eugene O’Neill, The Hairy Ape tells the story of Yank (Bertie Carvel), a labourer who revels in his status as the strongest stoker on a transatlantic ocean liner. But when Yank is called a ‘filthy beast’ by the overbred daughter of a steel merchant, he experiences an awakening of consciousness that leads him on a journey through the wealthy neighbourhoods and disenfranchised underbelly of New York society. Searching for a way to belong, Yank is forced to confront primal questions about his true place in the world.
Steffan Rhodri (Paddy), Phil Hill (Gorilla), Rosie Sheehy (Mildred) and Charlie Cameron (Ensemble) – Photo by Manuel Harlan
Directed by the acclaimed, multi award-winning director Richard Jones, The Hairy Ape is an iconic piece of American drama brought to the stage by a visionary of British theatre.
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