Jefferson A. Russell as Henry II and Deborah Hazlett as Eleanor in THE LION IN WINTER at Everyman Theatre. Photo credit: Teresa Castracane Photography.
James Goldman’s problematic “The Lion in Winter” is a well-known vehicle for actors to show off their command of language, rhythm, and sharp emotional turns. It is, in large part, a duet for the actors playing England’s King Henry II (Jefferson A. Russell) and Queen Eleanor, heiress of Aquitaine (Deborah Hazlett). At Everyman Theatre, these two accomplished actors tear into their roles with relish. As director Vincent M. Lancisi (Founder, Artistic Director) states in his program note, “All the history leading up to the start of the play is accurate. Everything that takes place once the play begins is fiction.” Let’s hope that’s true—this a royal family that makes the Windsor’s look like Care Bears.
…the acting is strong throughout and the production is a visual feast.
The action occurs in 1183 over roughly 24 hours during the time of the Christmas court—an annual gathering of family and influential nobles. On Christmas Eve, Eleanor joins the family on a brief release from her imprisonment in the Tower of London, her home for the past ten years after inciting her three older sons in a rebellion against the king. In her absence, Henry has had an affair with Alais (Hannah Kelly), sister of King Philip II of France (Ryan Dalusung), despite having pledged to marry Alais to one of his sons, the heir to the throne of England. The family reunion is haunted from the start by the death of the eldest son, young Henry, in another attempt at rebellion earlier that year. This leaves Richard (Grant Emerson Harvey), Geoffrey (Zack Powell), and John (Ben Ribler) to compete to be named as heir. There were no laws of primogeniture in the England of 1183. Eleanor favors Richard and Henry favors John, who was too young to be involved with the earlier revolt. All the family members, including the seemingly sweet and compliant Alais, plot, scheme, conspire, and counterplot to determine who will be the next king.
The production is well-paced and the interminable squabbling is mostly humorous and intermittently shocking. After hurling cruel insults at one another and deftly ripping open scarred wounds, Eleanor finally asks, “For the love of God, can’t we love one another just a little?” Here is one of the problems with the script. The playwright has made this a family drama, though of epic proportions, not a commentary on historical events. For the play to work as domestic drama, we must see the humanity of the characters somewhere in the story, even if only for a few seconds. For all their protested trauma, the characters never reveal the depth of anguish or love that would drive them to their actions. There are moments that come close. In Act I, Henry tells Eleanor, “There are moments when I miss you.” “Many?” she replies. “Do you doubt it?” Henry responds. This could be a revelation of their once-deep love, but it is so short and so abrupt that it comes across as amusing, wistful, but without real pain, as if Eleanor has spent the last ten years living well in Spain rather than in prison. Later in Act II, Henry and Eleanor give in to a passionate kiss—more passion than he ever displays with Alais—and we again feel on the verge of experiencing raw pathos but are pulled out of the moment too quickly and returned to the constant strategizing. Goldman seems to aspire to Shakespearean emotions in one second and delights in reducing them to situation comedy the next. If this is the author’s intent it is not wholly successful. Despite these quibbles with the writing, the acting is strong throughout and the production is a visual feast.
Daniel Conway’s set is a highlight of the production. As the audience is seated, we face the wooden arches of Henry’s palace at Chinon, France, topped with a crown-like chandelier. The arches evoke a ship or the belly of a whale. A round mosaic floor centers the action like a great mandala. The upstage wall is beautifully painted to evoke the Bayeux Tapestry of the 1066 Battle of Hastings. Cut-out fleur de lis top the high side walls and, when lit from the front, the intricate pattern appears as linked skulls. David Burdick’s elegant yet understated costumes enhance the sense of period and complement the characters. The golden gown worn by Alais later in the play is particularly striking and shows her transformation from mistress to potential queen.
“The Lion in Winter” runs through November 13, 2022, at Everyman Theatre, 315 West Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. FOr more information and tickets, you can call the Box Office at 410.752.2208. Hours: Mondays – Fridays: 10 am – 4 pm; and Saturdays: 12 – 4 pm. Tickets can also be purchased online. COVID health and safety requirements: Patrons are encouraged but not required to wear masks in the theatre.
