August: Osage County began in Chicago where Steppenwolf theatre company created the show. It then moved to Broadway where it was a huge success and now London theatre-goers can make up their own minds as is it playing in the Lyttelton theatre. Entry Pass reviewers Oliver Cohen and Fabienne Cheung went to the press night to see for themselves what the fuss was about.

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After winning the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize for Best Play, there was no doubt that August: Osage County had had a good run on Broadway. A question that many found remaining was the potential of Tracy Lee's offering to transfer successfully across the Atlantic. The first Steppenwolf production at the National since The Grapes of Wrath in 1989, this black comedy was awaited with bated breath.

It did not disappoint. A production of over three hours flew by for every individual in the audience as they were whisked away into the dysfunctional world of the Weston family. The wonderful balance between comedy and drama was found only through the excellent individual performances laced throughout the cast. Dianna Dunaghan's portrayal of a drug-addicted mother, seemingly the cause of the family's demise, is quite extraordinary. Amy Morton's performance as Barbara was sometimes less convincing than it could have been, but nonetheless effective in highlighting the issues of a family so problematic it seemed almost Irish.

The tumultuous post-funeral family dinner is the culmination of the second act, and one of the most memorable scenes in the play. It perfectly exemplified the mixed nature of the production, always able to bring an audience swiftly back to earth soon after brilliant moments of comedy.
It is hard to believe that someone could see this extraordinary production without seeing something of their own life or childhood within. This creation of Steppenwolf's would appeal to anyone willing to watch. It is up to the individual what to take away from it, but it is sure that the play will not disappoint.

Oliver Cohen

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The Steppenwolf Theatre Company is at their very best in August: Osage County. The trust between the actors of this prestigious, long established and tightly-knit company is vividly apparent in this darkly comic portrayal of family united by disaster. Every single actor on stage in this production positively oozes electricity, from the tragically powerful Violet Weston, the family's self-entitled ‘matriarch', to the vibrantly realistic awkward teenager, Jean. The symbols of family - the towering house and the expansive dining table - dominate this intricately designed set by Todd Rosenthal, constantly reminds the audience of the crux of this hilarious and touching play: a family from the Deep South being hauled into the grave realities of the modern day.

This deeply comic, gravely realistic play successfully demands of its audience: where do, or should, our family and personal responsibilities end? Although the drama offers no real resolution to this perhaps unsolvable question, it is successful in opening this up to the audience: we see into the very heart of this family, and there find a window into seeing our own.

Fabienne Cheung