The Almeida Theatre has named the full cast of upcoming revival of Clifford Odets’ American classic Golden Boy, which opens this September with Josh O’Connor starring.
O’Connor is joined by Jason Barnett, Richard Fleeshman, David Ganly, Patrick Martins, Daniel Mays, Oliver Ryan, Hayley Squires, Stanley Townsend, Zubin Varla and Nicholas Woodeson.
I’m out for fame and fortune, not to be different or artistic! I don’t intend to be ashamed of my life!
1930s New York, at the height of the Depression.
Joe Bonaparte is a gifted young violinist with extraordinary talent and a future in music, until a chance at fame and fortune lures him into the brutal world of professional boxing. Pressured by a ruthless manager, tempted by a forbidden love, and bound by the expectations of his Italian-American family, Joe is a young man torn between the seductive promise of the American Dream and the quiet honour of a decent life. He must confront what he’s willing to sacrifice, who he’s willing to become, and how to find his place in a world that demands he choose a side.
Directed by Sam Yates, the creative team includes set and costume designer Rosanna Vize, lighting designer James Farncombe, sound designer Dan Balfour, composer Isobel Waller-Bridge, video designer Jack Phelan, casting director Jim Carnahan and Alexandre Bleau, children’s casting director Amy Beadel, movement director Imogen Knight, fight director Kate Waters, orchestral manager David Gallagher, dialect coach William Conacher and associate director Yasmin Hafesji.
Golden Boy opens on Tuesday, September 15 with previews from Wednesday, September 9, and runs until Saturday, October 31.
The Almeida also hosts Eugene O’Neill’s Desire Under The Elms, which is directed by Ebenezer Bamgboye and runs from Tuesday, November 10 to Saturday, December 19, 2026.
You said it yourself, you can’t beat nature.
As Eben and his half-brothers toil on their family farm, they dream of the future.
Peter and Simeon plan to escape, while Eben longs to have the farm all to himself.
Any fantasies are on hold until the return of their patriarch Ephraim, who disappeared without a word two months ago. And when he does finally resurface, he is not alone. An unexpected companion instantly explodes both the status quo and their imagined futures.
Former Almeida resident director Bamgboye (The Lonely Londoners) directs Zackary Momoh in O’Neill’s shattering twentieth-century classic, inspired by Greek tragedy, this shattering family drama is a raging battle between the passion of the heart and the reason of the mind.
Tickets for Golden Boy and Desire Under The Elms here.
Top image: Golden Boy cast artwork (image supplied)