James Goldman's The Lion In Winter is about nothing so much as legacy. The year is 1183. Henry II, who won the throne by strength of arms, aims to leave behind the one thing his life has lacked: prolonged, lasting peace.

Standing in his way? Pretty much everyone else. Three sons, each vying to be declared heir-not that any is likely to honor declared succession after his death. A Queen, Eleanor, whose primary goal is to thwart Henry in whichever direction he turns. A youthful French King, Philip, who's looking for whatever alliance will regain him the French lands held by Henry's troops.

The mortar of Lakewood Playhouse's production, directed by John Munn, is the barbed dialogue between Joseph Grant's Henry and Syra Beth Puett's Eleanor. Their conversations play like an Aaron Sorkin script-you know in your heart no two people could possibly be quite this witty in one conversation, but you don't care.

The only son to gain his parents' gift for scheming and repartee is Alex Smith's Geoffrey, generally unloved and seeking power through connivance. Bryan Bender's Richard (ultimately Richard I, the Lionheart, leader of the Crusades) plots with strength of arms rather than mind. He strikes an imposing figure, wrathful and a full head taller than the remaining cast. Complaining John, portrayed by Mike McGrath (whose ultimate destiny was to be fictionalized and vilified in Robin Hood legend) pursues the throne with no obvious qualities other than not being the other two

This rendition of The Lion of Winter is not without weakness. Most notably, the French accents are bizarre to the point of distraction at times. Plotting Philip and his sister, Alais, played otherwise well by Dylan Twiner and Kat Christensen, are clearly referenced as French at many turns-never mind that between Eleanor the former French queen, Henry, once a French vassal, and Alais, raised the last fifteen years in England, everyone ought to be sitting somewhere between French and English-and so their dialect woes are unfortunate and unnecessary.

This is ultimately a minor complaint, however-as is the lack of acne makeup on the supposedly pockmarked and generally pubescent John. The Lion in Winter holds up against any performance this season, and serves to strengthen Lakewood Playhouse's own legacy, the legacy of quality theater left behind by Marcus Walker.

[Lakewood Playhouse, The Lion in Winter, through May 15, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $17-$23, 5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd., Lakewood, 253.588.0042]