Like those who built Lehman Brothers (a finance firm in its most recent — and last — iteration) from the empty pockets of indomitable immigrants, The Lehman Trilogy is a theatrical work that requires vast ambition. Adapted to English by Ben Power, this play divides the 150-year legacy of Lehman Brothers into three acts, following three generations of Lehmans — each pushing to keep the company dominant through constant cultural evolution. Presented by Ensemble Theatre Company, The Lehman Trilogy has it all: an elegant script that cares about the art of theatrical language (without sacrificing meaning or significance); a director (Oánh Nguyễn) who, like an expert juggler, has cultivated a seamless, balanced experience for the viewer that smoothly rotates focus between the performers; and three exceptional actors who capture the comedy, tragedy, and poignance of the play (while also inhabiting the plethora of characters throughout the Lehman history). It’s a clever production of artistry and substance that entertains from curtain to curtain.
In 1845, brothers Henry, Emanuel, and Mayer Lehman, Jewish immigrants from Bavaria, open a fabric shop in Alabama. Played by Troy Blendell (Henry), Chris Butler (Emanuel), and Leo Marks (Mayer), the Lehmans are the original finance bros. Through a series of strategic pivots and ingenious innovations, the Lehmans’ small-time business — first retail, then wholesale, then banking and finance — becomes a major player in the world economy until the 2008 crash.
This story is so well-crafted that it feels like a purposeful allegory in its depiction of the gallant rise and inevitable fall of well-intentioned people whose ambitions turned rapacious. And it’s a truly American tale, born of an immigrant nation with an eye on growth, capitalism, and financial achievement. The Lehman Trilogy, which runs through April 21, exposes the true passions behind a wealth-accumulation culture that can seem, on the surface, bereft of humanity.
See etcsb.org for additional information and tickets.
