Successful portrayals of intensive naivete, obsessive vanity, overwhelming-self consciousness, and a 50-year-old pimp. This was the scene of Friday’s theater classroom, Lion in the Winter. Directed by Alice Nam ’07, Lion was a small portrait of the struggle for power between King Richard’s sons. The story depicts his own despair at his dysfunctional family. The actors all captured the essence of their characters. Julian Azaret ’08 shared that portraying King Richard required him to bring out the 50 year-old pimp within. The enthusiasm that the actors brought to their performance added an intensity that highlighted the different dimensions of the tensions within this eccentric royal family. Nam described the script as full of a “weird sorta gray-line humor.” This humor made the play sparkle with a loose ease, despite the seriousness created by issues such as greed, family, and power that dablled the play. Nam’s choice of fading soft lights also brought a surreal atmosphere to the play. The combination of off-balanced humor and lulling lights successfully placed the audience in this quaint world. The audience was also asked to contemplate the effects of power. While they laughed at the clever lines that depicted the princes, they also realized that they were every bit as vulnerable. The sight of greed snaking through a person’s lifelong values made the play come alive. The scene between King Richard and his youngest son was most poignant. The king confesses his love for his child, revealing that the entire kingdom was built for him. In response, greed immediately floods into the young prince’s eyes. It was a heartbreaking moment, watching the abuse of the old king’s love. The dynamic cast was enthusiastic and certainly did the play justice. Lion asks the audience to evaluate their own attitude toward greed – demonstrating the effect it has on even the most powerful of people.
