Late Henry Moss

Genre: Drama
Opened 19 Jan 2006
Written: by Sam Shepard
Director:Michael Attenborough
Producer: Almeida Theatre
Cast: Flaminia Cinque (Conchalla), Trevor Cooper (Henry Moss), Brendan Coyle (Earl Moss), Simon Gregor (Esteban), Andrew Lincoln (Ray Moss) and Jason Watkins (Taxi).
Synopsis: Set near the Mexican border, The Late Henry Moss sees family secrets revealed as two brothers return home after a long absence to confront each other, their violent past and the death of their father. Fluctuating between the present and the past, Henry comes to life and re-enacts events leading up to his mysterious and exotic death.

What the critics had to say.....
PAUL TAYLOR for THE INDEPENDENT says, "An Almeida production by Michael Attenborough that is expertly attuned to its deadpan loopiness and fiercely conflicted filial emotion." MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, "Combining mythic realism with metaphysical thrills, the play offers a far more subversive assault on American values than anything in Shepard's recent piece of poster-art...It also vividly reminds us that in classic Shepard everyone is corroded by guilt." BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES says, "Yes, it's all very Shepard, up to the moment when Cooper's blundering, brutal Henry — an ex-airman, like the dramatist's father — excuses his ugliness with a yell of: "I've saved my country, I've dropped bombs on strangers." Funny or awful? Both." SIOBHAN MURPHY for THE METRO says, "This may not be the Pulitzer Prize winner's greatest play but the performances are all compelling." ALASTAIR MACAULAY for THE FINANCIAL TIMES says, "In this English production at least, it occasionally becomes an artificial piece of fictional rhetoric - but it is engrossing... Michael Attenborough's staging is generally strong, and well-paced." JOHN THAXTER for THE STAGE says, "Strongly-cast production...The brutal energy of the verbal exchanges between Brendan Coyle and Andrew Lincoln as his angry younger brother are vividly underlined by Terry King's terrifying choreography for the fights."

External links to full reviews from popular press
The Independent
The Guardian
The Stage
The Times
Financial Times