Learn about the production history of 'Glengarry Glen Ross'

David Mamet's iconic play, which has been frequently staged and turned into a movie, is coming to the Old Vic with an all-female cast.

Summary

• Glengarry Glen Ross is being revived at the Old Vic in London
• The production features an all-female cast
• David Mamet's play premiered in London in 1983
• It has since had multiple Broadway productions and was turned into an iconic movie

David Mamet’s blistering play about the brutal world of sales is returning to London in an exciting new form. The Old Vic’s intriguing revival of Glengarry Glen Ross, directed by Patrick Marber, sees an all-female cast take on this modern classic, including Indira Varma, Rosa Salazar, Dorothea Myer-Bennett, and Nancy Crane.

It’s testament to the enduring power and potency of Mamet’s 1983 work, which has been staged numerous times and turned into an Oscar-nominated film, that we are still so gripped by its merciless portrait of capitalism run rampant. Ahead of this must-see revival, learn more about the play’s production history.

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Original London production (1983)

Mamet’s play actually had its world premiere on this side of the pond, in the National Theatre’s smallest space, the Cottesloe, in 1983. Directed by Bill Bryden, the production starred Derek Newark, Karl Johnson, Trevor Ray, James Grant, Jack Shepherd, Tony Haygarth, and John Tams.

The play was immediately heralded by both audiences and critics as a remarkable piece of work, with its razor-sharp (and often profane) dialogue and devastating study of capitalism, masculinity, immorality, and desperation. The success here in London started its extraordinary journey, and it won two Olivier Awards: for Play of the Year, and Actor of the Year.

Original Broadway production (1984)

Following a tryout in Chicago, Glengarry Glen Ross made its Broadway premiere at the John Golden Theatre in March 1984, where it ran for 378 performances (a strong run given it was such a hard-hitting show with copious swearing). The cast featured Joe Mantegna, Robert Prosky, J. T. Walsh, James Tolkan, Mike Nussbaum, William L. Petersen, Lane Smith, and Jack Wallace.

The production was nominated for four Tony Awards, including Best Play, and Joe Mantegna won for Best Featured Actor in a Play. Mantegna also won the Drama Desk Award for his performance as Richard Roma, and Mamet won both a New York Drama Critics’ Circle award and the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Film adaptation (1992)

Glengarry Glen Ross was brought to much wider audiences when it was turned into a big Hollywood movie, with Mamet adapting his play for screen and James Foley directing. The film starred Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey, Alec Baldwin, Jonathan Pryce, Bruce Altman, and Jude Ciccolella.

One significant change from the stage version was the introduction of a new character, the terrifying motivational trainer Blake, who was written for Alec Baldwin. He only appears in one scene, but he gets a memorable speech, preaching “ABC: A, Always. Be, Be. C, Closing. Always be closing.”

The movie had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it was greatly acclaimed. Jack Lemmon, playing Shelly “The Machine” Levene, won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. Pacino was also Oscar and Golden Globe nominated for playing Richard Roma. The film helped to cement Glengarry Glen Ross as a seminal work.

Broadway revivals (2005, 2012 & 2025)

The play continues to be hugely popular with Broadway audiences. The first major revival, in 2005, saw Joe Mantello direct Alan Alda, Liev Schreiber, Frederick Weller, Gordon Clapp, Jeffrey Tambor, Tom Wopat, and Jordan Lage. The production was nominated for seven Tony Awards, and won Best Revival and Best Featured Actor for Schreiber.

Glengarry Glen Ross returned to Broadway again seven years later, with Al Pacino (who played Roma in the movie) returning to play Shelly Levene. The impressive cast also featured Bobby Cannavale, David Harbour, John C. McGinley, Richard Schiff, Jeremy Shamos, and Murphy Guyer. The production was directed by Daniel J. Sullivan.

The most recent Broadway revival, in 2025, saw Kieran Culkin play Roma, alongside Bob Odenkirk as Levene, Michael McKean, Bill Burr, Donald Webber Jr., John Pirruccello, and Howard W. Overshown. Patrick Marber’s Tony-nominated production marked the Broadway debut for both Odenkirk and Burr and was a big commercial success, breaking box-office records at the Palace Theatre.

West End revival (2017)

Glengarry Glen Ross had its first West End revival at the Playhouse Theatre, directed by Sam Yates. The production ran for 14 weeks and then went on a UK tour. It starred Christian Slater as Roma and Stanley Townsend as Levene, as well as Kris Marshall, Robert Glenister, Don Warrington, Daniel Ryan, and Oliver Ryan.

London Theatre’s critic praised it as a “lean, mean rollercoaster peek behind the scenes of a set of real-estate salesmen” and a “blistering, turbo-charged burst of testosterone”. The Guardian’s reviewer concurred, noting that the joy of the play lies in its language, “which ricochets off the walls like a ball in a squash court”, and said that Townsend matched Slater “blow for blow” in this pugilistic play.

Old Vic revival (2026)

Mamet’s play is back with a bold new twist: an all-female company is tackling this portrait of intertwined capitalist mania and swaggering masculinity. What new light will that shed on a play which is arguably more pertinent than ever? It will be fascinating to find out.

Patrick Marber’s revolutionary production stars Rosa Salazar (Alita: Battle Angel, Undone, High Noon) as Roma and Indira Varma (Olivier winner for Present Laughter, The Seagull, The Other Bennet Sister) as Levene, as well as Mercedes Bahleda, Nancy Crane, Dorothea Myer-Bennett, Florence Odumosu, and Niky Wardley.

Marber said that it was a “heck of a play to work on: hilarious, profound, obscene – a thrilling story with twists that make an audience gasp”. He added that the play “seems to me to be about our world right now”, and that he was “very excited to be doing it again”.

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Main photo credit: Rosa Salazar and Indira Varma (photo courtesy of the production). Inset: Robert Prosky and Joe Mantegna, Kevin Spacey and Jack Lemmon, Kieran Culkin and Bob Odenkirk, Christian Slater (Photos by Brigitte Lacombe, courtesy of the film, by Emilio Madrid, Marc Brenner)