The Lion in Winter

The London West End premiere of James Goldman's 1966 play The Lion in Winter starring Robert Lindsay and Joanna Lumley abd directed by Trevor Nunn.

France, Christmas 1183. A family Christmas becomes a family at war. Henry II, not so young as he was, invites his estranged wife Eleanor of Aquitane, and his three sons, Richard, Geoffrey and John, to spend the festive season with him, his mistress Princess Alais, and her brother, the young King Philip of France. Will Henry name who is to be his successor as King of England? Their yuletide celebration turns into a combat zone of deceit, betrayal, bitter power games and scabrous wit.

The cast for this production of The Lion in Winter in London stars Robert Lindsay and Joanna Lumley and is directed by Trevor Nunn. Robert Lindsay's recent London West End stage credits in Martin Sherman's Onassis at the Novello Theatre in 2010 and John Osborne's The Entertainer at the Old Vic Theatre in 2007. Joanna Lumley was most recently seen on the West End stage in David Hirson's award-winning comedy La Bête at the Comedy Theatre in 2010 (also Broadway).

The play's director Trevor Nunn said: "I am excited to be directing the London premiere of a famous play about a power struggle full of sexual politics and political sex, with two such brilliant actors as Robert Lindsay and Joanna Lumley."

The Lion in Winter in London at the Haymarket Theatre previews from 4 November 2011, opens on 15 November 2011 and closes on 28 January 2012.