Long Day's Journey Into Night (Brian Cox) - Wyndham’s 2024

[drmaplewood]

www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/brian-cox-to-star-in-west-end-revival-of-long-days_58027.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=15dec2022

Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor Brian Cox (Succession) is returning to the West End.



It was previously reported that the stage veteran would be playing Johann Sebastian Bach in the world premiere production of The Score, written by Oliver Cotton and directed by Trevor Nunn, at Theatre Royal Bath next October. But it has now been revealed that isn't the only upcoming stage venture for Cox.



He is set to star as James Tyrone in a brand-new production of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night under the direction of Jeremy Herrin (Best of Enemies).



Cox commented: "It has long been an ambition of mine to play Eugene O'Neill's flawed patriarch James Tyrone, and I'm delighted to have the opportunity to do so on a West End stage. I'm a great admirer of Jeremy Herrin's work and I am looking forward to us delving into O'Neill's masterpiece together."



Herrin added: "It's the privilege of a lifetime to direct one of our finest actors in one of the greatest plays ever written. The peerless Brian Cox as James Tyrone is a match for the ages, and a wonderful opportunity to create a deeply moving and cathartic piece of the theatre."



Written between 1939 and 1941, Long Day's Journey Into Night was first staged in 1956, following O'Neill's death in 1953. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama the in 1957 and became one of the most celebrated plays of the O'Neill canon. It was last staged in the West End at Wyndham's Theatre in 2018 with a cast led by Jeremy Irons and Leslie Manville.



Produced by Second Half Productions, a venue, dates and additional casting and creative team information will be announced in the coming months

[drmaplewood]

As great as Cox is, do we need another revival of this so soon?

[Mark]

Dec 15, 2022 12:06:16 GMT drmaplewood said:

As great as Cox is, do we need another revival of this so soon?

Most definitely not. Only 5 years since the last one. 

[Someone in a tree]

Such a tedious play that I can very happily never see again.

[Being Alive]

Given Jeremy Herrin's disastrous production of Glass Menagerie, I just can't be asked with this

[Jon]

I would guess the Phoenix, Apollo or Gielgud if it's Spring or Summer.

[couldileaveyou]

I'm surprised they're announcing this without a Mary attached, considering that it's the better and more award-winning of the two

[Jan]

Hard to imagine anything duller than this. The other thing at Bath might be better.

[londonpostie]

I thought this was a play on words - the other Brian Cox is always going on about journeys and night skies.

Anyway, count me in!

[orchidman]

Give me a proven classic with an actor of presence over the current standard of new plays any day

[barrowside]

I probably don't need to see this again either. James Cromwell and Marie Mullen in Druid's production in 2007 were absolutely mesmeric.

[lynette]

Much as I admire Brian Cox whom I first saw at the Birmingham Rep ( old building, playing Orlando)the clue to whether I will venture forth is in the title here - ‘long’ …..

[nottobe]

I have been wondering who may be cast opposite Cox. I would quite like to see Annette Bening doing this. Any other thoughts?

[mattnyc]

I missed Lesley Manville when she did the play a few years ago, so I would love for her to do it again.

[adolphus]

Dec 18, 2022 21:18:50 GMT nottobe said:

I have been wondering who may be cast opposite Cox. I would quite like to see Annette Bening doing this. Any other thoughts?

Great choice! Cherry Jones, Diane Lane, Janet McTeer, Clare Higgins

[imstillhere]

Can't wait to see Lilly Allen as Mary

[intoanewlife]

Dec 17, 2022 22:50:52 GMT lynette said:

Much as I admire Brian Cox whom I first saw at the Birmingham Rep ( old building, playing Orlando)the clue to whether I will venture forth is in the title here - ‘long’ …..

I think the Broadway version I saw with Jessica Lange a couple of years back was pretty close to 4 hours loooooooong...

[intoanewlife]

Dec 19, 2022 14:47:46 GMT imstillhere said:

Can't wait to see Lilly Allen as Mary

Cheryl is her understudy x

[nottobe]

I've done some thinking of who could be a good fit for the play. I would love to see Harriet Walter or Fiona Shaw in this however I think Juliet Stevenson would be phenomenal with the little I know about the piece.

[bordeaux]

Dec 20, 2022 19:03:59 GMT nottobe said:

I've done some thinking of who could be a good fit for the play. I would love to see Harriet Walter or Fiona Shaw in this however I think Juliet Stevenson would be phenomenal with the little I know about the piece.

Good ideas.  Cox played Petruchio opposite Fiona Shaw's Kate in Taming of the Shrew and Vershinin opposite Harriet Walter's Masha in Three Sisters in RSC productions in the late 80s both directed by Jonathan Miller.

[londonpostie]

Fwiw, Juliet Stevenson is in New York next summer, transferring with The Doctor for an 8-week run - which seems to me to be hedging (reviews! reviews!)

[Jan]

Dec 21, 2022 7:50:05 GMT bordeaux said:

Dec 20, 2022 19:03:59 GMT nottobe said:

I've done some thinking of who could be a good fit for the play. I would love to see Harriet Walter or Fiona Shaw in this however I think Juliet Stevenson would be phenomenal with the little I know about the piece.

Good ideas.  Cox played Petruchio opposite Fiona Shaw's Kate in Taming of the Shrew and Vershinin opposite Harriet Walter's Masha in Three Sisters in RSC productions in the late 80s both directed by Jonathan Miller.

That Cox/Shaw/Miller shrew was famously problematic with clashes between Miller who wanted to stage it as written and Shaw who wanted a feminist spin. Not sure where Cox stood on that - is it mentioned in his autobiography ? It was quite an unremarkable production in the end as I recall.

[theoracle]

With all the recent praise for Happy Valley, wouldn’t it be great if Sarah Lancashire returned to the West End for this? Sparks would really fly for both Brian and her on stage together

[mrbarnaby]

Feb 7, 2023 7:06:00 GMT theoracle said:

With all the recent praise for Happy Valley, wouldn’t it be great if Sarah Lancashire returned to the West End for this? Sparks would really fly for both Brian and her on stage together

THIS

[bordeaux]

Dec 21, 2022 9:18:37 GMT Jan said:

Dec 21, 2022 7:50:05 GMT bordeaux said:

Good ideas.  Cox played Petruchio opposite Fiona Shaw's Kate in Taming of the Shrew and Vershinin opposite Harriet Walter's Masha in Three Sisters in RSC productions in the late 80s both directed by Jonathan Miller.

That Cox/Shaw/Miller shrew was famously problematic with clashes between Miller who wanted to stage it as written and Shaw who wanted a feminist spin. Not sure where Cox stood on that - is it mentioned in his autobiography ? It was quite an unremarkable production in the end as I recall.

I remember it with some affection as it was my first year of London theatre-going and my first experience of Cox and Shaw on stage.  I remember laughing and both actors' reading of certain lines - Cox's 'I come to wive it wealthily in Padua' still rings in my ears after all that time.  I'm not a fan of the play but it's the best of the three productions I've seen.  And it was the first time I saw Alex Jennings, playing Lucentio, already standing out in a minor role.