‘Lion in Winter’: Dirty family dealings make for juicy viewing
“The Lion in Winter” is essentially a Middle Ages soap opera, but fans of the TV show “Empire” already know that. James Goldman’s 1966 play is where the TV program gets the name of its Lyon family and its setup: A domineering father, a barb-spouting mother released from prison and three sons who want to take their father’s power and rule his empire. Just change a record label to a kingdom, and you’re all set.
Onstage at CFCArts Theatre, “The Lion in Winter” is a juicy wallow in ambition, betrayal and love, with a touch of regret. It’s 1183 and King Henry II has released his wife, Queen Eleanor, from captivity to spend Christmas with their three quarreling children, his mistress and the King of France, who has a grievance. In those times, there was no rule that a first-born son automatically succeeded his father — so the throne could soon be up for grabs, and each son wants it. In other words, it’s going to be the holiday from hell.
Director Donald Rupe has a good sense of the brisk pacing this sort of melodrama needs, with its dastardly scheming and ever-shifting alliances. He also successfully ratchets up the suspense, and the physical heat, when needed.
Playwright Goldman deliberately introduces some anachronisms alongside the real characters in his fictional story. But this is a production that has been careful with its details — from Christine Hicks’s attractive period costumes to the way the light flickers in the handsome castle’s wall sconces to the moody music connecting the scenes.
It’s the actors who make this wild ride worthwhile. These characters are a bad
lot, no doubt, but the performers make them fun to watch. Among the sons, Chris Fahmie has a stoically captivating strength that keeps his secret well-hidden — and makes its revelation more shocking. Landon St. Gordon, as the overlooked child, captures his character’s coldhearted calculating ways with lines dripping with malice. As the youngest, Jake Teixeira amuses with his character’s immature outbursts but occasionally goes too overthe-top in his tantrums.
Ashleigh-Ann Gardner cleverly conveys both coolness and passion as the mistress, though projecting more innocence at first would make her later hardhearted decisions more explosive. Cole NeSmith radiates smug intelligence as he aids and abets the family meltdown. At the end of Act 1, look for his delicious smile of pleasure at his hosts’ misfortune.
But it’s David Lowe as Henry and Robin Proett Olson as Eleanor who really put the heat in this battle royale. Like their TV counterparts — Lucious and Cookie of “Empire” — these two love and hate with equal ferocity. Both are adept at revealing glimpses of humanity behind their vicious and viciously funny attacks. And both know how to deliver an insult with maximum comic oomph. You need perfectly matched performers to pull off this feat, and in Lowe and Olson CFCArts has exactly that.
“What shall we hang: The holly or each other?” Henry asks. Either way, it’s a pleasure to watch. Find me on Twitter @matt_on_arts or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Want more news and reviews of theater and other arts? Go to orlandosentinel.com/arts