officiallondontheatre: John Goodman, the US star of The Big Lebowski and The Artist, will join Damian Lewis in the West End production of David Mamet’s American Buffalo.

The heist drama, which runs at London’s Wyndham’s Theatre from 16 April to 27 June, will also star acclaimed British actor Tom Sturridge. (...)

American Buffalo marks Sturridge’s return to the London stage. The English actor previously appeared in No Quarter and Wastwater at the Royal Court, and received a Tony nomination for his performance in the Broadway production of Orphans.

Sturridge commented: "It's a deep privilege to be offered the chance to do this play with Damian and John under Daniel's direction. I think the play is dangerous and delicate, funny and frightening. American Buffalo is special. I can't wait to fight to make an audience feel about it as I do.”

American Buffalo opens at the Wyndham’s Theatre following the hit future history play King Charles III, which closes at the end of the month, and the transfer of the Young Vic’s acclaimed adaptation of A View From The Bridge.

Daily Mail:  Hollywood star John Goodman and fast-rising young British actor Tom Sturridge will be joining Damian Lewis in the West End-bound American Buffalo. Goodman, a staple of some of Joel and Ethan Coen’s best movies, said playing the London stage ‘is definitely on my bucket list. I was too frightened to say "No”. I said "Yes” before I could scare myself,’ he joked.

Goodman told me that he wanted his knees to be in order before taking any role on stage ‘I had a second knee replacement last March, so they’re good to go. I can tread as many boards as I want, as long as they’ll have me.’ He will play Don, a junk shop owner who fancies himself as an expert on rare coins. He’s in league with Teach (Lewis) and dim-witted but loyal Bobby (Sturridge) in a caper that, very clearly, is doomed. ‘Donny’s the wisest of the three stooges. He tries to be the most noble, in a rotten business enterprise,’ says Goodman.

The actor said he has worked on movies and TV dramas in Britain, but was thrilled to be making his theatre debut in a play written by David Mamet — a playwright he’s always admired. Goodman said Mamet’s play was intentionally full of profanities. ‘It’s almost its punctuation,’ he said, of the blue-tinged language.

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Sturridge recalled watching Lewis appear at the National Theatre in Pillars Of The Community and on screen in Keane, in the span of about a week. ‘I remember thinking: "Who the f*** is this guy?!” They were electrifying performances.’ Of Goodman, he said: ‘Legend is an appropriate word.’

Sturridge will be seen on screen this year opposite Carey Mulligan in Far From The Madding Crowd, and he has just spent six months as Henry VI in the second series of The Hollow Crown. American Buffalo runs at Wyndham’s Theatre from April 16 for a limited season.