Every performance shines
If someone asked whether you’d like to spend three and a half hours listening to three men tell the story of a bank’s rise and fall, you might tell them to ‘give their head a wobble’. But you should say yes, and rush to buy a ticket for the latest production of The Lehman Trilogy at the Gillian Lynne Theatre while you can, writes Katie Kelly.
This story follows Lehman Brothers, the fourth largest U.S. investment bank at the time of the 2008 financial crash. Its downfall, due to exposure to subprime mortgages, ended 158 years of trading. It’s a morality tale about greed and hubris—pride leading to a fall—and the American Dream. The three brothers at the heart of the story arrive in America with nothing but hope and a pair of good shoes, and through ingenuity, hard work, and a bit of luck, they make that dream come true.
However, this dream is built on the backs of slaves in Alabama. While this fact isn’t hidden, it’s not deeply explored. The story unfolds with minimal critique, except for rare moments, like after the Civil War that puts an end to the plantations, when the town doctor observes, “The ground beneath our feet is poisoned; it had to end this way.”
The script and set are disciplined and economical. The characters rarely interact directly, relying on narration and imagination. The costumes and set remain the same from 1850 to 2008. The action begins in a glass cube representing the final Lehman office, and with no costume changes and minimal props—just cardboard boxes, flowers, and a jug – the story flows through the decades.
The three actors play all the roles, but this does lead to a somewhat caricatured portrayal of women, who remain secondary to the powerful men. Bigger injustices, like capitalism’s exploitation, loom in the background, encapsulated in one line: “They will give us money they do not have for things they do not need. Buying is living.”
The Holocaust is only briefly mentioned but casts a powerful shadow over this story of Jewish resilience.
The set is both minimal and stunning. A sweeping backdrop transports the audience from the Manhattan skyline to Alabama’s cotton fields and back. One pianist provides the music, beautifully interwoven throughout. With such a small cast, every performance must shine, and they do. John Heffernan stands out, playing Henry Lehman with remarkable versatility and subtlety. Hats off to playwright Stefano Massini and director Sam Mendes for turning a modern story into a timeless classic.
There’s a reason this play is having its fifth run after its debut at the National Theatre. That reason is the power of great storytelling to captivate an audience.
Gillian Lynne Theatre, Drury Lane until January 5th.
Booking: https://thelehmantrilogy.com
