The President is one of the most anticipated plays in the 2024 Sydney Theatre Company season. Composed by Thomas Bernhard and rarely performed, this production featured one of the strongest theatrical casts in a recent Australian production, led by Hugo Weaving and Olwen Fouéré. Given this, the expectations for this production from the audience were extremely high, which made it somewhat unfortunate that the prevailing theme was one of mild disappointment at the end of the play. 

This play was a very difficult one to execute and especially to maintain engagement. The play essentially functioned as two drawn-out monologues, with the first act belonging to Fouéré as the First Lady (with small, punctuating remarks from Julie Forsyth’s Mrs Frolick) and the second belonging to Weaving as the President (punctuated by his mistress played by Kate Gilmore). However, the construction of these monologues often makes no sense. The First Lady repeatedly bullies Ms Frolick her servant and opines about her relationship with her now deceased dog as well as complaining with a degree of paranoia about the anarchists coming for her and her husband. While this is meant to be somewhat of a treatise on the effects of power on those around it, the construction of the dialogue makes it feel repetitive and quite difficult to follow. Bernhard uses a rhetorical device which often involves repeating every line three times which is quite tiresome when performed on stage and only seeks to drag out prose that already feels lumbering. 

Perhaps most concerning of all, when considering the overall narrative arc, Fouéré’s monologue seems entirely irrelevant to the plot, rendering the entire first act somewhat redundant. This is ultimately a story of power through the lens of the President and the First Lady’s monologue merely acts as a repetition. In a play that already feels too long, this seems like a major issue. 

The President’s monologue that comprises the second act is marginally better but still suffers from the same issues as the first. Accompanied by his mistress, Weaving gives effect to the deafening impacts of power as he becomes quite literally increasingly “drunk” on it. He does not allow his mistress to speak and continually tops up her glass, even though it is quite clear she feels she has had enough as he preaches about power and the beauty of the Portuguese landscape around him. It is clear that Weaving has been influenced by Trump in his portrayal, with several iconic mannerisms slipping into his interpretation.  As the play slowly trundles to its conclusion, it suddenly jumps to the final scene without warning or explanation. Without wanting to spoil the scene, the gimmick involving the audience is well-received but feels like a way to offset the confusion surrounding the narrative of the play itself. 

For all the problems with the script, this performance is saved by the two lead actors. Both Weaving and Fouéré are masterful in their portrayals of their characters, giving strong and commanding performances that do their best to draw the audience into what is quite a lethargic script. The supporting characters are also fantastic within the limited scope they have. The music and lighting also work to add some drama to the production which is well done and much needed. 

Ultimately, this is a play that seeks to say a lot but ends up not saying very much at all. It features an exceptional cast but ultimately feels as though they only cover what is a play that lacks substance and moves quite slowly through dialogue that feels repetitive and often unnecessary. Given the usual high standards of Sydney Theatre Company plays, it is safe to say this falls a little short. 

Rating: ★★★

The President plays at the Roslyn Packer Theatre until 19^th May. For more information, click here.

Photo credit: Daniel Boud