The West End transfer of the National Theatre’s The Lehman Trilogy (a co-production with Neal Street Productions) has been announced. Sam Mendes’ acclaimed production of Ben Power’s adaptation of Stefano Massini’s text about the rise and fall of the Lehman family’s extraordinary empire will play at the Piccadilly Theatre from 11 May 2019 for a 12-week season. Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley and Ben Miles will reprise the roles they originated at the National.
Directed by Mendes (The Ferryman, Skyfall), The Lehman Trilogy weaves through nearly two centuries of Lehman lineage.
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. One hundred and sixty-three years later, the firm they establish – Lehman Brothers – spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, and triggers the largest financial crisis in history.
The Lehman Trilogy features set designs by Es Devlin, costume design by Katrina Lindsay, video design by Luke Halls, lighting design by Jon Clark, and music and sound design by Nick Powell. The music director is Candida Caldicot, with movement by Polly Bennett.
The world premiere of Stefano Massini’s The Lehman Trilogy opened at the Piccolo Teatro in Milan in 2015. It turned out to be artistic director Luca Ronconi’s final production before his death. A long-term admirer of Ronconi’s, Mendes was inspired to begin planning an English adaptation for Neal Street Productions. Ben Power, deputy artistic director for the National Theatre, was commissioned to create a new version of this epic play, using a literal English translation by Mirella Cheeseman.
Director Sam 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.”
The Lehman Trilogy will play a limited season from 22 March to 20 April 2019 at the Park Avenue Armory in New York following its sell-out run at the Lyttelton Theatre.
