The Lion in Winter

 By James Goldman

It’s Christmas in 1183 A.D. and like today, it’s a time for families to gather together. However, this family is none other than the aging King Henry II of England, his wife, the witty and long-suffering Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their power hungry sons, Richard (later Richard the Lionhearted), Geoffrey, and John. Every word or deed of this regal family is a calculating move to obtain or remain in power. The question of who shall succeed the aging Henry on the throne takes center stage, and alliances both sexual and political rise and fall in the battle of this Medieval First Family. Written in modern prose, the award-winning Broadway play was later adapted into the Academy Award-winning film. Witty lines come fast and furious in this dark comedy about power and family.

There’s something very compelling about such ruthless intrigue in a royal court, and Goldman’s play is every bit as sharp and relevant as any modern epic about power and family. Based loosely on historical events, the character of Eleanor of Aquitaine is central to the emotional tug-of-war. Magnificent, authoritative and clever, she is every bit a Queen. Likewise, her lion-like husband, Henry II, is an almost perfectly balanced counterpoint in their love-hate relationship.