Gem of the Ocean Tickets

Written in 2003, Gem of the Ocean is the first chronological installment of a decade-by-decade, ten-play chronicle of the African-American experience in the twentieth century, written by American playwright August Wilson. Set in 1904 in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, it follows Aunt Ester, a 285-year-old fiery matriarch who welcomes into her home Solly Two Kings, who was born into slavery and scoured for the Union Army, and Citizen Barlow, a young man from Alabama searching for redemption. What follows is a lyrical journey of spiritual awakening into the City of Bones.

Young Vic Artistic Director and CEO Nadia Fall (Entertaining Mr Sloane) directs the first UK staging in 20 years of Gem of the Ocean, a moving exploration of resistance, redemption, and the enduring search for freedom. Across the US, Gem of the Ocean has been staged countless times and nominated for multiple Tony Awards. Step through time into the Hill District community, where memories of slavery, uprising, and civil war still haunt the residents. A searing exploration of race, justice, and survival in America, Gem of the Ocean is a rich look at the history and spirituality of the African-American experience that continues to resonate across time.

Don’t miss a rare chance to experience a classic and poignant piece of American drama.