The Lehman Trilogy at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, London
The Lehman Trilogy is a theatrical production that delves into the history of the Lehman Brothers, a notable American financial and investment institution.
Theatre, Art & Culture
After witnessing The Lehman Trilogy at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London, I left the performance with a sense of awe—captivated by the seamless blend of narrative, performance, and visual storytelling. This play, directed by the illustrious Sam Mendes, and adapted by Ben Power from Stefano Massini’s original script, offers a profound meditation on ambition, family, capitalism, and the inexorable rise and fall of one of the most influential financial dynasties in American history: the Lehman Brothers.
A Towering Tale of Ambition and Legacy
At its core, The Lehman Trilogy traces the arc of the Lehman family, starting with the immigrant journey of three brothers—Henry, Emanuel, and Mayer—who arrive in America from Bavaria in the mid-19th century. From their small, humble dry-goods store in Alabama to the dizzying heights of Wall Street, the play meticulously charts the family’s trajectory through generations. Each act of the trilogy spans an epoch, revealing the evolution of the American dream alongside the evolution of global finance, until its devastating collapse in 2008.
The play’s structure, divided into three distinct parts—Three Brothers, Fathers and Sons, and The Immortals—echoes the natural rhythm of capitalism: birth, growth, and eventual destruction. It is a testament to Massini’s vision that these periods of history are not merely historical benchmarks but living, breathing moments that encapsulate the spirit of ambition and innovation, while also highlighting the fragility of unchecked growth.
Es Devlin’s Genius Set Design: A Visual Symphony
Stage designer and London based artist, Es Devlin. Photo: esdevlin.com
While the narrative of The Lehman Trilogy is masterfully constructed, it’s the visual elements that truly elevated the performance for me. The set design, created by the renowned Es Devlin, is nothing short of magical. Devlin’s minimalist yet ingenious design centers around a rotating, glass-walled cube that serves as both a metaphor and a practical tool for the storytelling. The cube spins and shifts seamlessly between scenes, representing the revolving nature of time, history, and the cycles of capitalism.
The transparency of the glass walls hints at the illusion of invincibility that surrounds financial empires, evoking both fragility and omnipotence. It allows for fluid transitions—one moment you're in the humble beginnings of 19th-century Alabama, and the next, you’re transported to the high-rise offices of Lehman Brothers in Manhattan. There’s a striking sense that while the world around the characters changes, the walls confining them remain, just as they do in the world of finance—one of endless repetition and inevitable collapse.
Devlin’s use of projections on the glass walls further enhances the experience, with dates, stock tickers, and other historical visual elements serving as a dynamic backdrop that grounds the audience in time and place. This design choice not only complements the storytelling but amplifies it, creating a sense of foreboding as the decades tick by, each more precarious than the last.
Lighting and Sound: A Tapestry of Emotion
Equally impressive was Jon Clark’s lighting design, which played a crucial role in defining the emotional and temporal shifts of the play. The lighting is delicate yet dramatic, transitioning smoothly from the warm, sunlit streets of 19th-century New York to the cold, sterile fluorescent lights of 21st-century boardrooms. Spotlights were used with precision, isolating characters during pivotal moments, drawing the audience’s focus to key emotional beats.
Nick Powell’s sound design provided the final layer of immersion. The ambient sounds of bustling streets, the haunting tick of a clock, and the ominous hum of the stock exchange became characters in themselves, reminding the audience of the omnipresent machinery of capitalism. The integration of period music helped situate scenes in their respective eras, while the subtle sound effects—like the reverberating crash symbolizing the 2008 financial collapse—were chilling, a sonic reminder of the play’s themes of rise and ruin.
Ben Power's English adaptation of Stefano Massini's original Italian masterpiece, three parts over the course of a single evening. Photo: Kevin Berne via nealstreetproductions.com
Performances: Transformative Storytelling
The cast’s performance is another highlight that cannot be overlooked. With a small ensemble of actors portraying multiple characters across different generations, the play takes on an almost operatic quality. Their seamless shifts in persona speak to both their versatility as performers and the fluidity of the family’s legacy—a story that stretches across time and identity, yet remains undeniably linked to the same bloodline and ambition.
At moments, the actors narrate directly to the audience, offering both an intimate insight into the minds of the characters and a reminder of the performative nature of wealth and power. The storytelling remains human, even when dealing with abstract and complex concepts like financial derivatives and market crashes.
A Critique of Capitalism
The Lehman Trilogy is more than just a historical recount of a powerful financial empire. It serves as a sharp critique of capitalism, dissecting its cyclical nature and exposing the human costs of unchecked ambition. The play moves beyond the rise and fall of the Lehman Brothers, using their story as a lens to examine the larger capitalist system that thrives on risk and reward, growth and collapse.
The three rounds of intervals within the play mirror the three acts of capitalism—emergence, boom, and bust—making the pacing of the production all the more poignant. Each interval feels like a moment of reflection, asking the audience to pause and consider the larger forces at play in the story being told.
A Masterpiece of Contemporary Theatre
The Lehman Trilogy is an extraordinary piece of theatre, combining historical narrative, artistic vision, and philosophical inquiry into one cohesive production. Under Sam Mendes’ meticulous direction, the play transcends its biographical origins, becoming a profound meditation on family, ambition, and the unstoppable machine of capitalism.
For me, the highlight remains Es Devlin’s breathtaking set design, which was not just a backdrop but a central character in the drama. The rotating cube felt like an omniscient presence, quietly observing the rise and inevitable fall of the Lehman family—and, by extension, of all empires driven by the same insatiable hunger for growth.
This production, with its brilliant performances, dynamic staging, and evocative design, will stay with me for a long time. The Lehman Trilogy is not just a reflection on the past, but a mirror held up to the present, forcing us to confront the ongoing cycles of ambition and destruction that define our world.
For anyone interested in contemporary theatre or performance art, The Lehman Trilogy is a must-see—a triumph of both storytelling and stagecraft that leaves a lasting impression.
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Designer: Es Devlin
Lighting Design: Jon Clark
Costume Design: Katrina Lindsay
Composer & Sound Designer: Nick Powell
About the Author
Razvan Chiorean is the published author of Art Buzz News, online content curator and contemporary art documentarist, committed to advancing diversity and accessibility in the art community. With a keen focus on innovation and a steadfast commitment to inclusivity, Razvan strives to unite cultures, serving as a bridge that seamlessly integrates art and innovation, all within the universal language of creativity.
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