TimeLine Theatre Company, in conjunction with Broadway in Chicago, presents the Chicago premiere of THE LEHMAN TRILOGY.
Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy in 2008 and was permanently closed by the Southern District of New York in 2022. How did a 164-year old institution that survived the Civil War, the Great War, the Stock Market Crash of 1929, the Great Depression and World War II meet its end during a subprime mortgage crisis? And who were the Lehman Brothers?
Playwright Stefano Massini tells the origin story of three immigrant brothers turning an Alabama clothing store into an NYC financial empire. Massini debuted his epic tale in 2015 in Milan. It was adapted by Ben Power for the National Theatre in London in 2018. And was transferred to Broadway and won several Tony Awards including Best Play in 2022.
THE LEHMAN TRILOGY is now in Chicago. This newest production, co-directed by Nick Bowling and Vanessa Stalling, captivates as much for the story as the storytelling. The play utilizes three actors, Mitchell J. Fain (Henry), Anish Jethmalani (Emanuel), and Joey Slotnick (Mayer). They primarily play the Lehman brothers. Fain sets the tone and style for the show with an opening monologue. He describes Heyum’s arrival to America. Since the officials couldn’t understand his name, he resigned himself to being renamed ‘Henry.’ Over the next six years, Henry establishes a store and his two brothers come to America to help. The reign of the Lehman Brothers has begun.
The play is a series of monologues and interactions between the brothers, their wives, their children, and their rivals. As the brothers, Fain is the head, Jethmalani is the arm and Slotnick is the potato. Their sibling relationship is tight almost sentimentally so. They give off a ‘us against the world’ vibe as they push each other out of retail into cotton distribution and later banking. The trio support each other through all the phases of life and death. And they share their Jewish roots with candle-lit rituals.
Fain, Jethmalani and Slotnick are a tour de force! They play all the characters. Without leaving the stage or changing costume, they morph seamlessly into a woman or child with distinction. A phrase like ‘I have a problem with that’ or a pair of glasses make it clear who is doing the talking. Their delivery and stamina are incredibly impressive. Fain, in particular, gives memorable portrayals of the smug, brainiac Phillip and a fierce, flirty Ruth.
Bowling and Stalling orchestrate this as a poetic history lesson. They keep the pace and the actors moving. Pivotal moments are showcased on a carved-out perch of Scenic Designer Collette Pollard’s mountain heap of office stuff. Tables, chairs and boxes and boxes of files illustrate the growing and sterile enterprise. Projections (designed by Anthony Churchill) of cities and art show the changes over the years and the generations. Although Act 1 and 2 is transfixing family drama, Act 3 is less interesting. As the Lehmans leave the business, the story seems to fades away without a definitive conclusion. Still, THE LEHMAN TRILOGY is riveting! I enjoyed getting to know the brothers and their families!
Running Time: Three hours and twenty minutes includes two intermissions
At Broadway Playhouse, 175 E. Chestnut
Written by Stefano Massini
Adapted by Ben Power
Co-Directed by Nick Bowling and Vanessa Stalling
Performances are:
Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays at 2pm
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays at 7:30pm
Saturdays at 8pm
EXTENDED Thru November 26th
For more information or tickets
Production photos by Joe Mazza, Brave Lux
For more Chicago theatre information and reviews, please visit Theatre in Chicago