The Lehman Trilogy

The Lehman Trilogy opened at Comédie de Saint-Étienne in Saint-Étienne in a French translation. In 2015 Luca Ronconi directed the Italian premiere, at Piccolo Teatro in Milan. The play was eventually translated and staged in several cities across Europe.[2]

Adapted by Ben Power and directed by Sam Mendes, the play made its English debut in London at the Royal National Theatre[3] at the Lyttelton Theatre, running from 12 July 2018 to 20 October 2018.[4][5]

The play ran at the West End Piccadilly Theatre starting on 11 May 2019 for a limited twelve week run, which was extended for another 4 weeks, ending on 31 August 2019.[6][7]

Prior to its return to London, the play ran in the United States at the Park Avenue Armory, New York City, from 22 March 2019 to 20 April 2019.[8] The play is set to return to the US, originally to open on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre on 7 March 2020 in previews, officially on 26 March. Adam Godley, Ben Miles, and Simon Russell Beale, who play the three title brothers, their sons, and grandsons, will reprise their performances.[9][10][11] As of March 12, 2020, the show suspended production due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The show’s production will be suspended until September 6, 2020 at the earliest. [12]

Mendes said: "The Lehman Trilogy was developed over three years without the constraint of a schedule, or even a destination—I was allowed time to find its form, and to build a wonderful team with which to make it. One of the chief joys has been to work across borders with two great writers, and to invite three of the finest actors of their generation to work with us. We are indebted to the National Theatre and the Park Avenue Armory for their unstinting support throughout..."[8]

The original play lasts for five hours[13] and Power has written it into a three-hour English version. With a cast of only three actors, Simon Russell Beale, Ben Miles and Adam Godley, the play explores the vicissitude of American capitalism through the 164-year-history of Lehman Brothers, from when Henry Lehman, a German Jew, first migrated to the US and opened his store in Alabama, to the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. that exacerbated the 2008 financial crisis.

The three actors not only play the three Lehman brothers who founded the business but all other roles. They play their children and grandchildren, including Philip Lehman (son of Emanuel, played by Simon Russell Beale), Herbert Lehman (son of Mayer, played by Ben Miles), and Robert Lehman (son of Philip, played by Adam Godley), as well as various minor characters[14] during the unfolding of family history such as wives, toddlers, and business partners, although they never change the original costume – tailored three-piece suits often seen in 19th century portraits of men. The understudies for the roles of Henry, Emanuel, and Mayer Lehman at the National Theatre were Leighton Pugh, Dominik Tiefenthaler, and Will Harrison-Wallace, respectively. Tiefenthaler replaced Miles during the show's run at the Piccadilly Theater.

The play has been highly praised by critics for "the successful adaptation that both preserves the essence, the poetic language of the original play and makes it more succinct"; "the elegant, well-paced direction that narrates with simplicity, depth and richness"; and "the superb, versatile acting of the cast, who seem to metamorphose at will with the characters they put on". The set design by Es Devlin – a rotating glass box furnished in the style of a contemporary office, as well as the video projection in the back stage that accompany the set, showing the changing landscapes in time and space during the development of the business and American capitalism created by Luke Halls, also made a great impression.[15] Both Guardian and The Times give the play a five-star mark.

The play received nominations for five 2019 Olivier Awards:[16][17]

• Best New Play
• Best Actor – Adam Godley, Ben Miles and Simon Russell Beale
• Best Director
• Best Set Design – Es Devlin
• Best Sound Design – Nick Powell