The Lehman Trilogy: A Masterclass in Theatre at the Gillian Lynne

While The Lehman Trilogy is a story about a bank, it is also a profound exploration of a family and the sweeping transformation of America over the last 150 years. I originally saw this at the National Theatre in 2018 with Simon Russell Beale, and I approached this production with some trepidation, thinking, Do I really want to see anyone else? He’s one of my favourite actors, and the original was a superb production.

I needn’t have been concerned, because these three – John Heffernan, Aaron Krohn, and Howard W. Overshown – are superb. Undoubtedly, having performed it in San Francisco before the run here has contributed to the excellent performances I witnessed on opening night.

Wearing the same black frock coats throughout, they play the Lehman brothers, their sons and grandsons, as well as assorted rabbis and female suitors, in a virtuosic display of acting that never descends into caricature.

This is still Sam Mendes’s original production, and it is the second I’ve seen transferred from the National Theatre. I think it sits beautifully in the Gillian Lynne Theatre – even better than at the National. (The other was Standing at the Sky’s Edge.)

The set is both simple and complex – a Plexiglas rectangle representing the modern-day Lehman office, combined with a massive cyclorama featuring black-and-white video projections that are always in motion. Mendes’s direction is full of detail and pace, and as a result, this long play never becomes boring or drags.

It is also Mendes’s genius to take what was originally a five-hour Italian play with a cast of 12 and distil it down to just three actors, three acts, and a roughly three-hour running time.

It is the kind of theatre I love – one that both entertains and educates in equal measure. It takes us from the first Lehman brother arriving in New York via Ellis Island, through the building of their business, to how that business morphs into banking, and explores how financial systems operate. The only thing missing is the detail behind the final collapse, but given the scope of the play, it is inevitable that it can’t cover everything.

As well as the brothers’ stories, we see the history of America and capitalism, with fascinating insights into how money works. It reminds us that money only exists on faith. We don’t use cash as much now, but if I handed you a £5 note, it’s only your faith that makes it worth £5. If that faith is shaken, things start to crumble – and that’s exactly what happened with Lehman Brothers.

This is one of the most thrilling pieces of theatre I’ve seen in a long time. You must concentrate – this isn’t something you can simply let wash over you – but that concentration is richly rewarded.

If you’re looking for a stimulating, well-acted, and expertly directed piece of theatre, you can’t do better than The Lehman Trilogy!

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