12 Angry Jurors – Spring

Directed by: Michael Somogyi

Twelve Angry Men is a play by Reginald Rose adapted from his 1954 teleplay. The play’s Broadway debut came 50 years later on 28 October 2004 at the Roundabout Theater, where it ran for 328 performances.

The drama depicts a jury forced to reconsider its nearly unanimous decision by the single dissenter who sows a seed of reasonable doubt. The story begins after closing arguments have been presented in a homicide case, as the judge is giving his instructions to the jury. As in most American criminal cases, the 12 men must unanimously decide on a verdict of “guilty” or “not guilty”. (In the justice systems of nearly all American states, failure to reach a unanimous verdict, a so-called “hung jury”, results in a mistrial.) The case at bar pertains to whether a young man murdered his own father. The jury is further instructed that a guilty verdict will be accompanied by a mandatory death sentence. These 12 then move to the jury room, where they begin to become acquainted with the personalities of their peers. Throughout their deliberation, not a single juror calls another by his name because the names are unknown by the jurors. Several of the jurors have different reasons for discriminating against the witness: his race, his background, and the troubled relationship between one juror and his own son.

(From Wikipedia: 12 Angry Men (play))

Photos (forthcoming)

Lion in Winter – Winter

Directed by: Rafi Poch

By James Goldman, The Lion in Winter, is set during Christmas 1183 at Henry II of England’s château in Chinon, Anjou, Angevin Empire. The play opens with the arrival of Henry’s wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, whom he has had imprisoned since 1173. The story concerns the gamesmanship between Henry, Eleanor, their sons Richard, Geoffrey, and John, their guest, Philip II of France, the son of Eleanor’s ex-husband, Louis VII of France, and Philip’s half-sister, Alais, who has been at court since she was betrothed to Richard at age 8, but has since become Henry’s mistress.

The Lion in Winter is fictional: there wasn’t Christmas Court at Chinon in 1183; it is implied that Henry imprisoned Eleanor for attempting to overthrow him, but, in fact, she was imprisoned for backing their son Henry in the Revolt of 1173–1174. Also there is no definitive evidence that Alais was Henry’s mistress (although Richard later resisted marrying Alais on the basis of this claim. The real Henry had many mistresses and several illegitimate children); none of the dialogue and actions are historical, although the outcomes and the events leading up to the story are accurate.

(From Wikipedia: Lion in Winter)

Photos (forthcoming)