Other Desert Cities, Old Vic

Jon Robin Baitz – screenwriter, producer and the creator of the internationally-acclaimed US TV drama Brothers & Sisters – brings his sharp talent to London with the UK premiere of Other Desert Cities, the smash-hit Broadway success that garnered five Tony nominations in 2012. Directed by Lindsay Posner, the man behind the Old Vic’s hugely successful revival of Noises Off, we expect Old Desert Cities to be a theatre highlight of 2014. 

If dark, wry comedy-drama led by funny and deeply flawed characters is your preferred form of entertainment, then this is the show for you. Family politics are the most dramatic and devastating of all and Other Desert Cities holds this at its core, exploring the trials and tribulations of the wayward, hilarious Wyeth family and the murkier side of the American dream. 

Brooke Wyeth, a literary genius recovering from a nervous breakdown, returns to her family’s Palm Springs home for Christmas for the first time in six years, accompanied by an explosive announcement: she is soon to publish a memoir about her family, which will blow the lid off their carefully-cultivated veneer of Californian perfection.  It demonstrates the failure of the once clear-cut 'left vs. right' political lines, exposing the sloppy mess at the heart of this American dynasty. If you think your family is dysfunctional and complex, the Wyeths will make you think again. 

Other Desert Cities will be the first production in a season to be staged in-the-round at the Old Vic. If the theatre’s beautiful 2009 production of Dancing at Lughnasa – also staged in-the-round – is anything to go by, we confirm that it lends itself brilliantly to this type of staging. It makes for an extraordinary, immersive experience. Book now - we know you’ll have an excellent time.