The Lion in Winter Review The Lion in Winter Review

Stage Centre's Lion in Winter Roars at Fairview
Mark Andrew Lawrence
North York Mirror

According to one of Alan Jay Lerner's lyrics in the musical Camelot, peasant folk expend a good deal of time sitting around and wondering what royal folk do. In James Goldman's comedy The Lion in Winter, the audience is given a voyeuristic look at King Henry II and Queen Aquitaine playing out a battle of wits as they argue which of their sons shall become heir to the throne.

Stage Centre Productions is presenting this 1966 play for a limited run at Fairview Library Theatre. The original Broadway production received rave reviews from the New York critics, but audiences were sparse and the play closed after just 92 performances. It might have been a forgotten piece had it not been for an acclaimed 1968 film version starring Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn.

This semi-historical comedy takes place in Henry's castle at Chinon, France. We find the King and his estranged Queen anachronistically wrapping Christmas gifts and placing them beneath the tree - even though the year is 1183 and such celebrations would not begin until many centuries later.

They have three sons: Richard, who would later become King Richard the Lion-hearted; middle son Geoffrey; and John, later King John who accepted the Magna Carta.

According to Goldman, none of the sons would appear to be a good candidate. The King favours John, the proverbial spoiled brat. The Queen's choice is Richard who is secretly having an affair with King Philip of France. The overlooked middle son, realizing his situation, plots to play both ends against the middle.

The play is two full acts of sparring, like watching a swordfight with words.

Director L. Garth Allen once again demonstrates why Stage Centre Productions has maintained its stellar reputation for so long. They offer professional calibre productions, presented with a level of style and dedication for which all community theatre groups should strive.

The performances are all excellent. Rita Lynham makes a regal Eleanor, Queen of Aquitaine, wearing her despair with a smile as stated in the script.

She meets her match with Roger Kell's commanding performance as King Henry. Watching the two of them play out this fierce love-hate battle of wills is to bear witness to theatrical fireworks.

Michael Long is amusing as the petulant John and Danny Sullivan as the manipulative Geoffrey comes across with appropriate slyness. Lawrence Stevenson plays up the sensitivity of Richard. As his sometime lover, Reid Janisse is a youthful yet articulate King Philip of France. Debbie Yuen comes across best in her scenes with Henry, resigned to her limited position.

They play out their wars with words. Eleanor in particular seems to delight in watching her husband suffer. Just your typical, average, every day royal family!