King Henry II gets the family together to celebrate Christmas, but this is no warm and cozy gathering. Henry has a problem to resolve. Who will inherit the throne upon his death? While the setting is 1183 France, modern audiences will have no trouble recognizing this family's issues as timeless. This family walks that fine line between love and hate as they fight for their place in history. Actions they take determine the very future of England. James Goldman's anachronistic, heightened language with its fast, furious biting wit allows us to witness and enjoy the royal family at its feral best. The cruelty with which these family members wage war on one another has echoes in our current struggles with power and ambition, whether personal – or political.