Sydney Theatre Company and The Sydney Morning Herald present the Steppenwolf Theatre Company production
August: Osage County
by Tracy Letts
Beverly Weston has disappeared.
His wife Violet has hit the pain killers… hard.
With Mom and Dad in crisis there’s no alternative but for the reluctant family to reunite and descend on their rambling country house in Oklahoma. Someone is going to have to take control of the situation.
Now that Beverly is out of the way, Violet is ruling the roost. She may be too strung out to string a sentence together but - if it comes to a tussle for supremacy - even that won’t stop her from hauling skeletons out of long-locked closets.
Hailed by critics as the great American play of our time, August: Osage County is a rare gem of a drama. In the tradition of Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller, playwright Tracy Letts tells a story of grand scale that is at once entertaining, funny and deeply moving. By showing us this family in meltdown Letts’ play holds a magnifying glass up to American society today, revealing its tragic dysfunction and lost idealism.
In 2010 we are delighted to play host to Steppenwolf Theatre, arguably the finest ensemble company in the US, with their originating production of this internationally renowned Pulitzer Prize-winning play.
3 Hours 15 Minutes, Including 2 Intervals
Frequent strong language, recommended for audiences aged 14 years plus
Venue: Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay
Read more about Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Reviews
"5 Stars...from the writing to the lighting, August: Osage County is an awesome display of theatre craft and a reminder of its potency. Do not pass on the opportunity to see it." - Sydney Morning Herald
"5 Stars...one of the funniest nights in the theatre you'll ever see, uncouth and scabrous, brilliantly acted and taking place in a marvellous three-storey set" - TimeOut Sydney
"Some of the most vital and vivid ensemble acting ever seen on stage in Sydney" - Sun Herald
"You emerge shaken, stirred and buzzing. It’s unforgettable theatre." - Sunday Telegraph
"the uproarious, tragic, utterly riveting August: Osage County has just arrived in Sydney for a limited six week season with most of the original Chicago cast and continuing to live up to every one of its countless accolades." Vogue Australia
"This original and corrosive black comedy deserves a seat at the dinner table with the great American family plays." - Time Magazine
"Phenomenally entertaining and surprisingly hilarious" - The Brag
"Tracy Letts’ fiercely funny, turbocharged tragicomedy is, flat-out, no asterisks and without qualifications, the most exciting new American play Broadway has seen in years. Fiercely funny and bitingly sad…it continually keeps you hooked with shocks, surprises and delights." - The New York Times
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The best play I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. I could not fault the production in any way. Congratulations. - Brandon
I was lucky enough to win free tickets to see August:Osage County - thank you! It was a fantastic show, the set was divine and the actors amazing! I will be recommending this production to all! - Vanessa
I caught this extraordinary production when it visited London's National Theatre; it is completely unmissable; an enthralling script, flawlessly cast. Although it's long you'll never want it to end! - Alun
Wow. Fastest 3 hours 20 mins you'll ever experience. Beautifully wrapped.- Charles