Kanata’s The Lion in Winter: A Waste of Time?
Photo: Wendy Wagner.
It’s astonishing that James Goldman’s The Lion In Winter continues to be revived. It may have seemed trendy and innovative half a century ago, but this fanciful attempt to use the turbulent 12th Century household of England’s Henry ll as some kind of metaphor for a 20th Century dysfunctional American family now seems trite and unfulfilling.
Director Jim Holmes has delivered many outstanding productions for Kanata Theatre over the years, but his affection for this play seems misplaced. His production does move smoothly, supplying some balance between character and situation and seeking a solid dramatic heft for the material’s climactic moments. But there’s only so much that even a good director can do with a script that suffers from an apparent mood disorder and revels in its own anachronisms — be they the resolutely modern colloquialisms or the presence of a Christmas tree in Henry’s French castle.
Goldman, younger brother of novelist and screenwriter William Goldman, no doubt took delight in all the snappy one-liners which he concocted — for example, the king’s estranged wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine mischievously observing that she and Henry shattered all the commandments during their first erotic encounter — but much of it seems pretty sophomoric now. The Monty Python crowd and the creators of BlackAdder also sought to glean laughs from bringing a 20th Century sensibility to historical events — but their subversive humour cut deeper and their social and political parallels were more successfully realized.
You’d scarcely know that high stakes are involved at this Yuletide family gathering in 1183 — that a battle is underway over who will succeed to Henry’s throne. But of course, it’s less a battle than a sit-com-laden squabble, These are serious matters, but has this stylistically uncertain script really made up its mind over how seriously we are to take them? It’s possible for a play to seem too clever by half and to emerge as clueless at the same time.
Even as dependable an actor as Dale MacEachern seems trapped in a blind alley when it comes to defining Henry — stymied by the reality that a jaunty demeanour and dexterity with facile one-liners aren’t sufficient to give the king true substance.
Kim Strauss, excellent as Eleanor, deals with a challenging script differently. She confronts it head-on with a queenly authority, giving many of her witticisms an extra burnish they don’t really deserve. It’s all in support of giving us a consort of gleaming intelligence and manipulative brilliance. But really, this impressive actress is dealing with dramatic twaddle but adept at fooling us into thinking there’s something more.
The royal couple’s three sons are part of the domestic quarrelling. Marko Pilic’s Richard (the future Lionheart) has a couple of good emotional scenes, but he shouldn’t turn into a block of wood the rest of the time: he also needs to “listen” to what other characters are saying when he’s on stage. Shane Bouchard brings a sense of cool assurance to the role of Geoffrey, but the most engaging sibling of the evening comes courtesy of Carl Cachero who lets loose with a pouting, prancing portrayal of the teenage John.
Emily Walsh gives the character of the king’s mistress, Alais, more archness than is necessary — but again, this actress could be trying to find some clear line in her assignment. And James Renaud brings a certain silken assurance to the role of the King of France. So yes, a lot of dedicated work has gone into this production, but the material still leaves you with a “so what” feeling of indifference. There’s the rub.
The Lion in Winter
By James Goldman
Kanata Theatre to April 4
Director: Jim Holmes
Set: Jim Holmes, Jim Clarke, Les Horn
Lighting: Cameron Macdonald
Sound: Martin Weeden
Costumes: Kathryn Clarke
Cast:
Henry II……………………………………….Dale MacEachern
Alais…………………………………………..Emily Walsh
John……………………………………………Carl Cachero
Geoffrey……………………………………….Shane Bouchard
Richard………………………………………..Marko Pilic
Eleanor………………………………………..Kim Strauss
Philip………………………………………….James Renaud
House servants…………………… . . . . . . .Harold Swaffield and Patrick Kay