I may not know the difference between a caucus and a primary, but I sure know a power play when I see one. James Goldman's "The Lion in Winter" is a masterpiece of shifting allegiances, bold betrayals, convoluted schemes and ruthless (and potentially lethal) political back-stabbing. The battle royale between King Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine and their three miscreant sons makes the machinations of our current throng of posturing presidential wannabes seem amateurish by comparison.
The Denver Victorian Playhouse production of "The Lion in Winter," playing through February 9, 2008, is clever, bombastic, and mirthfully Machiavellian. Rick Bernstein’s direction is sharp as a dagger, as he sends larger-than-life characters racing through a labyrinth of deceits upon conceits, where the only rule in a constantly shifting series of verbal jousting matches is “promise anything, deliver nothing.”
An entire kingdom is at stake as Henry, ably played by Wade P. Wood, feels mortality creeping up, and wants to ensure his legacy continues undivided once he’s relegated to the history books. Unfortunately, land, title, and even his beloved mistress (Heather Kaloust) are up for grabs, and civil war between his three sparring sons (Nathan Bock, Christian Mast, Seth Maisel) seems inevitable, while his long-suffering queen (Jan Cleveland) thwarts his will at every turn out of spiteful love, and the King of France (Ryan Everett Howard) plays them all.
The production is excellent, the dialogue is fresh, the action visceral, and there’s a surprising amount of humor, though most of it comes from shock and surprise at how ruthlessly dysfunctional this “noble” family really is. Faith and religion are mocked and ignored because the characters are motivated exclusively by willful self-interest, and to accept the lordship of anyone, even God, would be interpreted as a sign of weakness by the others. The only way to keep the playing field somewhat balanced is to keep God out of it. Besides, if you are willing to lie, seduce and perhaps even murder a sibling or father, it’s best to eliminate any hint of objective morality or divine authority.
Left to their own devices, the best these sparring titans can hope for is a stalemate, and as one of them points out, “We’ve done a big thing badly.” That may be true for the characters, but from the audience’s standpoint, the Denver Victorian has done very well indeed.
Here’s a thought inspired by this play: why not lock up all current presidential hopefuls in a castle, toss in a few daggers, and let them work out the nominations on their own? The resulting melee may lack “The Lion in Winter’s” finesse, but at least it would thin the herd.
For ticket information, directions or reservations, call 303-433-4343 or visit http://www.denvervic.com/.
The Denver Victorian Playhouse production of "The Lion in Winter," playing through February 9, 2008, is clever, bombastic, and mirthfully Machiavellian. Rick Bernstein’s direction is sharp as a dagger, as he sends larger-than-life characters racing through a labyrinth of deceits upon conceits, where the only rule in a constantly shifting series of verbal jousting matches is “promise anything, deliver nothing.”
An entire kingdom is at stake as Henry, ably played by Wade P. Wood, feels mortality creeping up, and wants to ensure his legacy continues undivided once he’s relegated to the history books. Unfortunately, land, title, and even his beloved mistress (Heather Kaloust) are up for grabs, and civil war between his three sparring sons (Nathan Bock, Christian Mast, Seth Maisel) seems inevitable, while his long-suffering queen (Jan Cleveland) thwarts his will at every turn out of spiteful love, and the King of France (Ryan Everett Howard) plays them all.
The production is excellent, the dialogue is fresh, the action visceral, and there’s a surprising amount of humor, though most of it comes from shock and surprise at how ruthlessly dysfunctional this “noble” family really is. Faith and religion are mocked and ignored because the characters are motivated exclusively by willful self-interest, and to accept the lordship of anyone, even God, would be interpreted as a sign of weakness by the others. The only way to keep the playing field somewhat balanced is to keep God out of it. Besides, if you are willing to lie, seduce and perhaps even murder a sibling or father, it’s best to eliminate any hint of objective morality or divine authority.
Left to their own devices, the best these sparring titans can hope for is a stalemate, and as one of them points out, “We’ve done a big thing badly.” That may be true for the characters, but from the audience’s standpoint, the Denver Victorian has done very well indeed.
Here’s a thought inspired by this play: why not lock up all current presidential hopefuls in a castle, toss in a few daggers, and let them work out the nominations on their own? The resulting melee may lack “The Lion in Winter’s” finesse, but at least it would thin the herd.
For ticket information, directions or reservations, call 303-433-4343 or visit http://www.denvervic.com/.
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