The Lion In Winter

A heady mix of explosive family melodrama, convoluted political intrigue and snarky screwball comedy, James Goldman’s 60s play has lost none of its bite over time, and is treated to a gloriously spirited production from the Therry Dramatic Society.

The year is 1183, and the court of King Henry II (Matthew Randell) is the setting for one of the most disastrous Christmas family-reunions in history. Henry’s wife, Eleanor (Celine O’Leary) has been imprisoned in the tower for instigating rebellion against Henry, yet despite their political disagreements they obviously still have feelings for each other and want the best for their children – the brutish military gloryhound, Richard (Jonathan Pheasant), coolly calculating politician, Geoffrey (Aaron McDonald) and sensitive but dimwitted John (Nick Duddy).  When the matter of succession comes up, it isn’t long before all pretence of civility is thrown to the wind and a brutal war of barbed words ensues. The conflict threatens to escalate into full blown war with the arrival of King Philip Of France (Robert Bell) at court, whose sister Alais (Ellie McPhee) is Henry’s mistress.

Randell and O’Leary have a shockingly intense chemistry, both as adversaries in political debate and as partners in a toxic, masochistic romance. Watching the sparks fly between these two as they engage in ferocious ham-to-ham combat is theatre magic at its most exhilarating,  but they are also affectingly poignant in quieter moments that emphasise the wounded souls lurking beneath the characters’ spitfire wit.

The supporting cast are no slouches either, McDonald has moments of devastatingly scathing sarcasm, as he perfectly captures the seething resentment of the most intelligent, but least popular son. Pheasant is a similarly imposing figure when called upon to demonstrate Richard’s ruthless brutality. Bell at first comes across as something of a prissy fop, but it turns out these mannerisms are an affectation designed to mask a cunningly devious mind, and the actor plausibly conveys both the façade and the real man beneath.

Duddy and McPhee are unfortunate in that they are handed the most underwritten parts in Goldman’s script. John’s foolishness is painted in such broad strokes that it is very hard to see why anyone would consider him a serious contender for the throne, and the character is never given any opportunity to show hidden depths that would make him seem a worthy adversary in the power plays that go on. Alais’ romantic attraction to Henry, and various pivotal moments in her backstory, are only hinted at, rather than explored in depth. Duddy and McPhee struggle gamely to lend some nuance to these rather two dimensional roles, and this makes the characters less annoying than they could’ve been.

The attention to period detail in Nick Spottiswoode’s sets and Megan Dansie’s costumes is quite impressive, as are the subtle fluctuations in Richard Parkhill’s lighting, which ensure scene transitions are smooth and poignantly accentuate the drama of the play’s more intimate scenes.

Benjamin Orchard

Images: Matthew Randell (Henry) and Celine O'Leary (Eleanor) & L-R Ellie McPhee (Alais), Matthew Randell (Henry), Jonathan Pheasant (Richard), Nick Duddy (John), Aaron MacDonald (Jeffrfey) and Celine O'Leary (Eleanor).