Director's Note

King Henry II of England (Rodger Hoopman) has three sons by Eleanor of Aquitaine: Richard, Geoffrey and John. He wants the kingdom to stay united after his death, but all three sons want to rule and it is likely to be torn apart by revolution. Henry favors the youngest son while Eleanor favors the eldest. The middle son hopes to play both ends against each other and come out on top. Henry would like to have another heir by his mistress, but that would only add to the contenders. Uneasy is the head on which the crown lies, and uneasy the truce between a matchless king and queen.

This classic is glorified in language that is brilliant in its ability to characterize, its rhetorical impact, its actability, and its generative power.