First of all, it's not a movie Movie, it's a biographical theater projected (not adapted) on movie screen. Poetic dramatic thrilling presentation by only 3 casts for 3 hrs felt mostly on the edge of the seat like just 30 mins. Adam Godley, Ben Miles and Simon Russell Beale smoothly danced over all the variation of roles over the changing stage ambience only.
In summary such an wonderful experience is not worth missing even if one dares to ignore the saying "Truth is stranger than Fiction".
3 Reviews
The history of the Lehman brothers
TheLittleSongbird13 March 2020
Knew absolutely nothing about the play beforehand, though vaguely familiar with the history of the Lehman Brothers. Saw 'The Lehman Trilogy' anyway because the subject is intriguing and it was interesting to see how it would translate to stage, and whether it would do successfully. Also get such a lot out of the National Theatre Live series and, as much of a stretch as this is going to sound, Simon Russell Beale to me is one of the best theatre actors today.
'The Lehman Trilogy' turned out to be a thrilling experience, one of the best recent National Theatre Live performances. Despite the play being a less familiar one compared to most plays performed as part of the National Theatre Live series, this performance still managed to be better than a good deal of these live transmissions/performances of the more familiar plays. What could have been potentially dull and muddled in the wrong hands, being a long production, being a play that most may not be familiar with beforehand and not everybody being aware of the subject and the Lehman Brothers turned out to be one of the most entertaining and most powerful productions for anything seen recently. Am not kidding saying that.
It is wonderfully acted for one thing. Only three characters and actors throughout, which means that it is quite intimate, and these characters are interesting and well contrasted and acted to perfection by Simon Russell Beale, Ben Miles and Adam Godley. Beale is especially good, his body language, gestures, eyes and facial expressions wonderfully varied and telling so much, it does leave one riveted. Miles plays it straight and is serious without ever being dull and coolly confident. Godley, the least familiar actor of the three to me, brings the most surprises, was not expecting him to be so mischievous and in a way that was amusing and not misplaced.
Beale, Miles and Godley have great chemistry between them that has a lot of nuance and variety. Whether more comedic, not being all doom and gloom, or more serious, showing that a subject like this is not treated as a joke. They are helped too by that the play itself is fascinating and brilliantly written, almost as good as the classics often performed as part of this series. This is how to take a not so familiar subject and one that not everybody will find it to be their cup of tea, and make it entertaining, with a balance of tension, and powerful. As well as hardly out of date and remarkably accessible.
One worries hearing of the structure, the play told in a narrative-like way through three sections detailing 150 years of history and how they started off flourished, that it would not always be easy to follow. Not so. It is actually quite simple and intimate in atmosphere, yet kept engrossing by the quality of the performances and interaction as well as Sam Mendes' classy and confident direction. The production values are elegant in their simplicity too, made even more interesting by ingenious use of a cyclorama that is symbolic and not distracting. The music is also kept simple and is not used too much, sometimes like a character of its own.
Concluding, brilliant. An easy 10/10
'The Lehman Trilogy' turned out to be a thrilling experience, one of the best recent National Theatre Live performances. Despite the play being a less familiar one compared to most plays performed as part of the National Theatre Live series, this performance still managed to be better than a good deal of these live transmissions/performances of the more familiar plays. What could have been potentially dull and muddled in the wrong hands, being a long production, being a play that most may not be familiar with beforehand and not everybody being aware of the subject and the Lehman Brothers turned out to be one of the most entertaining and most powerful productions for anything seen recently. Am not kidding saying that.
It is wonderfully acted for one thing. Only three characters and actors throughout, which means that it is quite intimate, and these characters are interesting and well contrasted and acted to perfection by Simon Russell Beale, Ben Miles and Adam Godley. Beale is especially good, his body language, gestures, eyes and facial expressions wonderfully varied and telling so much, it does leave one riveted. Miles plays it straight and is serious without ever being dull and coolly confident. Godley, the least familiar actor of the three to me, brings the most surprises, was not expecting him to be so mischievous and in a way that was amusing and not misplaced.
Beale, Miles and Godley have great chemistry between them that has a lot of nuance and variety. Whether more comedic, not being all doom and gloom, or more serious, showing that a subject like this is not treated as a joke. They are helped too by that the play itself is fascinating and brilliantly written, almost as good as the classics often performed as part of this series. This is how to take a not so familiar subject and one that not everybody will find it to be their cup of tea, and make it entertaining, with a balance of tension, and powerful. As well as hardly out of date and remarkably accessible.
One worries hearing of the structure, the play told in a narrative-like way through three sections detailing 150 years of history and how they started off flourished, that it would not always be easy to follow. Not so. It is actually quite simple and intimate in atmosphere, yet kept engrossing by the quality of the performances and interaction as well as Sam Mendes' classy and confident direction. The production values are elegant in their simplicity too, made even more interesting by ingenious use of a cyclorama that is symbolic and not distracting. The music is also kept simple and is not used too much, sometimes like a character of its own.
Concluding, brilliant. An easy 10/10
History of Capitalism
armangharavi10 April 2023
Sam Mendes has told the history of corporate capitalism and its evolution in 150 years with 3 actors narrating the story for 3 hours accompanied by one of the best scores i have ever heard.
The Lehman Brothers is full of symbols, for example boxes that represent corporate bureaucracy, nightmares representing historical events such as the hell in the sky representing the faith of indian americans when the railways were being built.
There is a lot of technicalities especially in the third act that takes you to the depths of how the system works. Sam Mendes has understood Marx's criticism of capitalism very well and has told this story in a fashion that anyone can understand.
Beyond the symbols, technicalities and historical events is a simple narration of how capitalism constantly changes, re-invents itself and grows more powerful.
The Godfather explains this theory between the lines of a gangster story, Sam Mendes has told his version between the lines of The Lehman Brothers.
Technically, the stage design is the best i have ever seen, the direction & the music is amazing...The acting is beyond words, the dialogues are tight and there is not a single extra word or second in this story. There is no action yet everything is so tense.
The Lehman Brothers by Sam Mendes is one of the finest pieces of story telling to ever go on the screen or stage...
The Lehman Brothers is full of symbols, for example boxes that represent corporate bureaucracy, nightmares representing historical events such as the hell in the sky representing the faith of indian americans when the railways were being built.
There is a lot of technicalities especially in the third act that takes you to the depths of how the system works. Sam Mendes has understood Marx's criticism of capitalism very well and has told this story in a fashion that anyone can understand.
Beyond the symbols, technicalities and historical events is a simple narration of how capitalism constantly changes, re-invents itself and grows more powerful.
The Godfather explains this theory between the lines of a gangster story, Sam Mendes has told his version between the lines of The Lehman Brothers.
Technically, the stage design is the best i have ever seen, the direction & the music is amazing...The acting is beyond words, the dialogues are tight and there is not a single extra word or second in this story. There is no action yet everything is so tense.
The Lehman Brothers by Sam Mendes is one of the finest pieces of story telling to ever go on the screen or stage...
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