First look: Jesse Tyler Ferguson becomes Truman Capote in Tru at the Menier
First-look photos have revealed Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Truman Capote in Tru at the Menier Chocolate Factory.
The pictures, taken by Johan Persson and published on 24 September, also show Charlotte d'Amboise as The Swan. Ferguson is seen in character in Capote's New York apartment, while d'Amboise appears alongside him in a contrasting, elegant look. WhatsOnStage
Ferguson plays Capote. He is best known to television viewers for Modern Family, and his stage credits include a Tony Award win. He has also received five Emmy nominations.
D'Amboise plays The Swan. She is a two-time Tony nominee, and she joined the company after Ferguson had already been announced for the role. Her casting adds a second presence to a play often remembered as a solo piece.
Tru was written by Jay Presson Allen and was first staged in 1989. It is set in December 1975 and finds Capote alone in his New York apartment at Christmas. The text is drawn entirely from Capote's own words.
The London production is directed by Rob Ashford. It is playing a strictly limited season at the Menier Chocolate Factory, the intimate London venue known for sending shows to the West End and Broadway. Menier Chocolate Factory
Previews began on 19 September. Opening night is 27 September, and the run continues until 14 November. London Theatre
The staging arrives in London after a New York run earlier this year. It played at the House of the Redeemer's Library in New York City from 6 March to 12 April, where it was described as a sell-out success. Ashford also directed that production.
In London it is presented in association with Seaview, OHenry Productions, Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon and A Dog Named Beckett Productions.
What makes this stand out is the closeness of it. The Menier seats around 180 people. For fans, this means seeing a familiar television face in a very small room, in a play built only from Capote's own language.
