Review: THE LION IN WINTER at Order Chaos Theater Company

James Goldman’s THE LION IN WINTER unfolds like a grueling chess match played in history's long shadows. Every move is calibrated, every feint barbed with wit and deceit. The pieces aren't mere pawns but members of a splintered royal family, each maneuvering for supremacy while draped in the pretense of dynastic loyalty. As Eleanor of Aquitaine bitingly observes, "What family doesn't have its ups and downs?" 

Set in 1183 at King Henry II's court, the play presents a Christmas reunion stripped of all ceremony. The aging monarch (50, but vital and energetic) has summoned his formidable wife Eleanor of Aquitaine (briefly sprung from imprisonment), their three ambitious sons (Richard, Geoffrey, and John), the cunning young King Philip of France, and Henry's mistress Alais (Philip’s sister raised as a child by Eleanor!) into a crucible of ulterior motives. What unfolds is a volatile fusion of machination and manipulation, where allegiances pivot like weathervanes and every utterance carries a stiletto of subtext. Each player circles the others in an endless dance for mastery ~ not just of England's throne, but of their family's splintering legacy. At play are three crucial questions: the succession to Henry's crown, the marriage of Philip's sister Alais, and control of the vital French territories of Vexin and Aquitaine.

Order Chaos Theater Company's production of the play deftly handles the twists and turns of Goldman's brilliantly crafted work, notable for its cutting repartee and dark humor. It is an ambitious task for such a weighty and nuanced work, but the execution is admirable.

Under the direction of Janis Webb, this production delves into the raw humanity of the characters. The ensemble's synergy propels the drama.

Tyler Brignone delivers a muscular portrayal of the shrewd King, laying bare both Henry's canniness and vulnerabilities. He emerges not as a caricature of a distant monarch but as a relatable force ~ a man, like the Lear to whom he compares himself, confronting his own mortality.

Henry’s love/hate match is Eleanor, whose incarceration resulted from her supporting a rebellion against him. Virginia Olivieri delivers a commanding and penetrating performance as the queen, manifesting the calculation and heartache that wage war behind her eyes, revealing a mind weaponized into devastating wit and ruthless strategy.

Put Brignone and Olivieri together and their chemistry bristles with electricity. Their verbal fencing matches showcase two master duelists trading thrusts of love and venom.

Henry's sons ~ Richard (Chasen Zeiner), Geoffrey (Tyler Sines), and John (Leonidas Karandreas) ~ carve distinct paths to power. Each actor delivers well-defined interpretations of their characters. Zeiner's Richard, whom Eleanor favors, prowls the stage with coiled menace (like the lion he will become), while Sines imbues Geoffrey with a keen intellect and cunning. Karandreas's pimply-faced and whining John (whom Henry apparently favors) wobbles and stumbles between buffoonery and desperation, though occasionally the performance tips too far into caricature. Owen Rapkoch's Philip of France lacks the requisite venomous subtlety, leaving the character's manipulations more tepid than treacherous. As Alais, Kristen Chua navigates her character's precarious position with nuanced grace, transforming what could be a mere pawn into a player of consequence.

In the hands and out of the mouths of these talents, Goldman's rapier dialogue finds its mark more often than not, keeping the audience ensnared as alliances fracture and reform like ice in spring. Director Webb orchestrates this familial battlefield with a keen eye for rhythm and tension.

The staging, while economical, relies on suggested medieval grandeur through minimal set pieces and hanging tapestries. One longs for stone walls that loom and shadow, candlelight that conspires with darkness to hide secrets. The period costumes lack the rich textures and detailed embellishments that would elevate the production's visual impact. The lighting design, particularly in intimate scenes, misses opportunities to create dramatic shadows and warm candlelit effects that could enhance the play's conspiratorial atmosphere.

Order Chaos Theater Company's production proves why THE LION IN WINTER endures. At its core, the play, transcends simple categorization as comedy or family drama. It's a masterclass in survival, where wit becomes armor and words draw more blood than swords. Each character claws for dominance ~ over the crown, over love, over legacy ~ wielding humor as both shield and spear. Despite some technical limitations, the strong ensemble and Webb's incisive direction illuminate the thorny complexities of these family dynamics, reminding us that the game of power ~ whether played for a kingdom or a parent's favor ~ remains eternally compelling.

THE LION IN WINTER runs through January 26th at:

Herberger Theater Center ~ The Kax Stage ~ https://herbergertheater.org/ ~ 222 East Monroe Street, Phoenix, Arizona ~ 602-252-8497

Order Chaos Theater Company ~ https://www.orderchaostheater.org/ ~ PO Box 975 Tolleson, AZ 85353 ~ ​Email: orderchaostheater@gmail.com

Photo credit to Todd Sandberg ~ L to R: Brignone and Olivieri

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