Chicago Reader - Somewhat Recommended
"...It's not for lack of capable performers that this Promethean Ensemble production, directed by Brian Pastor, lags and feels out of sync-Brian Parry and Elaine Carlson as King Henry and Eleanor of Aquitane (forerunners of Empire's Lucious and Cookie Lyon, if you will) play up the comedy in their cat-and-dog power-couple dynamic as much as Goldman's sometimes forced dialogue allows. But this is well-trod territory, and the two hours-plus of royal conniving winds up stranded somewhere between sketch comedy wackiness and ineffectual Shakespearean sobriety."
Theatre By Numbers - Highly Recommended
"...This is not a short show, as many scripts are these days. It comes from a time when we would sit for longer and listen more carefully. Because of that, I was thoroughly impressed that Pastor's cast kept me engaged the entire time, never letting their energy fade for a moment. This is a refreshing take on a script that many have come to know as a favorite. Well done!"
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...The power of love and hate; of gamesmanship and verbal wit are eagerly enjoyed by this family. They all feast on revenge, the infliction of psychological pain, and the winning moments of joy when one person wins a skirmish . This ultimate family gathering boasts bitingly funny drollness and nasty word play played out to maximize love or hate as each devise their next move in the game of family."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Brian Parry’s Henry II is an amazing and paradoxical mix of brutal masculinity, embodied in his contempt for his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine (Elaine Carlson); affection for his mistress and son’s fiancé: Alias (Heather Smith); love for his the ghost of his friend Thomas Becket, for whose murder he was more than likely partially, if inadvertently, responsible; and his inexplicable preference for his slow and weak son: Johnny who he desires to succeed him. Perry portrays is Henry with breathless energy and Parry’s usually consummate skill. Still, when appropriate, he yields to Carlson’s fascinating performance of the fascinating Eleanor of Aquitaine, and she very much the anchors this play."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...You are a very smart theater goer indeed if you can decipher who’s “on top” of the royal rugby scrum, but it’s not a show that requires much in the way of puzzle solving. Just keep an open ear and everything will sort itself out. Some in the cast are more apt at making the story clear than others. Perry has a talent for delivering the zingers but have a hard time connecting with his fellow royals, or getting a run on the whiplash turns. Lake possess the smoothness that carries across both unflappable comedy and scheming dangerousness. But it is Carlson who truly soars. Her Eleanor not only holds the lions share of jokes and delivers them with royal flair but cracks open like an egg to expose her scared underbelly of love and longing. It is a superb role superbly rendered."
Third Coast Review - Recommended
"...Slashing, witty and tragic. The Promethean Theatre Ensemble's minimalist production of James Goldman's contemporary take on legacy and love, The Lion in Winter, is comic and tragic at the same time. Brian Pastor's direction gives us some of the best one-liners outside of late-night television, but The Lion in Winter is a serious deliberation on family, heritage and war. The dialogue is fast-paced and never lags, even during the long first act."
Splash Magazine - Highly Recommended
"...The action and repartee, beautifully set in a gray castle hall and dungeon, is enthralling. The lines are delivered with relish. This play is very enjoyable and highly recommended."
NewCity Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...If you're shopping for history combined with some first-rate zingers you can carry home in your memory's pocket, for tossing at an unsuspecting friend or coworker, spend a couple of hours with Henry and Eleanor. "What family doesn't have its ups and downs?""
