Show ended
Runtime: 3h 20m
Spanning 170 years and with a running time of over three and a half hours, Ben Power’s adaptation of Stefano Massini’s play is directed with elan by Sam Mendes and truly deserves to be called epic. Through the story of four German immigrant brothers who arrived in the US with dreams of opening a suit shop, it tells of the founding of a family dynasty and a bank, whose collapse in 2008 triggered a world-wide financial crisis. The show recently won a slew of Tony awards for its Broadway run and returns to London with a new cast. It’s a very enticing one: Michael Balogun, Hadley Fraser and Nigel Lindsay.
Hailed by The New York Times as 'a genuinely epic production,' The National Theatre and Neal Street Productions' The Lehman Trilogy is the story of a family and a company that changed the world. Directed by Academy Award®, Tony Award® and Golden Globe winner Sam Mendes, The Lehman Trilogy features a cast of three playing the Lehman brothers, their sons and grandsons, in an extraordinary feat of story-telling told in three parts on a single evening. The decades unfold on stage within the cinematic sweep of Tony Award®-winning designer Es Devlin's 'slowly rotating masterpiece.' (Variety). On a cold September morning in 1844, a young man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is joined by his two brothers, and an American epic begins. 163 years later, the firm they establish – Lehman Brothers – spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, triggering the largest financial crisis in history. Please note: The production features instances of flashing lights and some video effects that may cause dizziness. There will be instances of total darkness (lasting 15 seconds) and gunshot sound effects. The production contains moments and themes that some people may find distressing.
The Lehman Trilogy is returning to London. After an uber successful Broadway run that saw the production scoop up five Tony Awards, the celebrated play is set to find its way back to the West End. Audiences will be able to catch it from 24th January 2023 at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
The Lehman Trilogy tells the story of the Lehman family, spanning generations to unpack their history and demonstrate their impact on a changing world. Don’t miss this extraordinary family epic, told in three parts across a single evening. Catch The Lehman Trilogy in the West End this January.
The Lehman Trilogy premiered in the UK with the National Theatre in 2018. Adapted from Stefano Massini’s original masterpiece for an English audience, it features a cast of just three actors playing the Lehman brothers, their sons and their grandsons.
In the year of 1844, a cold September morning sees a young man from Bavaria standing on a New York dockside. He’s dreaming of a new life in a new world, and the fortunes he might make there. Joined by his two brothers, he sets out to pursue that dream and make an American fairy tale come true. The Lehman brothers set up their own company and set about building a future for their family. What the three men can’t know is that their actions will spell disaster 163 years later, when the collapse of their firm, Lehman Brothers, triggers the largest financial crisis in history.
The Lehman Trilogy is the story of a family, a dream, and a company that changed the world – for better or worse.
The Lehman Trilogy is based on an original play by Stefano Massini which first premiered in France and Italy in 2015. Massini is an internationally celebrated author and playwright and the first Italian writer to be awarded a Tony. Other notable works include Intractable Woman, Ladies Football Club and 7 Minutes.
The Lehman Trilogy has been adapted for a UK audience by Ben Power, a Tony Award-winning writer for theatre, TV and film. Power has worked with the National Theatre for a decade, adapting for the company such works as Husbands & Sons, Medea and Emperor of Galilean. His TV work includes the BAFTA-winning BBC production The Hollow Crown.
The Lehman Trilogy is directed by Sam Mendes, whose extensive resume includes credits from the National Theatre, the RSC, the West End and Broadway. Outside of theatre, he has directed films such as American Beauty, Skyfall and Spectre. His extensive list of awards won includes 2 Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture. He was knighted in 2020 for services to drama.
Michael Balogun (Death of England: Delroy, Macbeth, National Theatre) will play the role of Emanuel Lehman with Hadley Fraser (The Antipodes, National Theatre; Coriolanus, Donmar Warehouse) playing the role of Mayer Lehman and Nigel Lindsay (The Pillowman, A Small Family Business, National Theatre) playing the role of Henry Lehman. They will be joined by pianist, Yshani Perinpanayagam.
The Lehman Trilogy was nominated for 5 Olivier Awards during its original West End run. On Broadway, it was nominated for 7 Tony Awards and won 5, including Best Direction and Best Play.
Don’t miss this astonishing production when it comes to the Gillian Lynne Theatre from 24th January. This stirring story of family and ambition will be in high demand, so make sure to secure your tickets as soon as possible.