This year’s Sydney Theatre Company season has been one headlined by A-listers as Mitchell Butel has stamped his authority on the Australian theatre landscape and An Iliad has perhaps the most hyped actor of them all, with Lord of the Rings star David Wenham to play Homer in an epic retelling of the famous poet’s classic. 

As the audience walked into Sydney Theatre Company’s Wharf 1 Theatre, they were greeted with darkness before Wenham entered, cast as a sole figure against a dark backdrop as he opens a roller door to wheel a lone cart onto the stage. Usually, when a set is so minimal, it feels cheap or ill conceived, but in this case it was very clear just how intentional Charles Davis’ design was, with all the focus squarely on Wenham’s acting as he illuminated the stage.

The story of The Iliad will be familiar to most and accordingly isn’t recapped here in any great detail but a lot of Homer’s work was cut out to focus on the main story, including the Trojan War and the eventual sack of Troy, with the focus on Achilles, Patroclus and Hector. Directed by David Ryan, it felt like not a second of the 100 minute long show was wasted, with Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare’s adaptation feeling faithful and yet concise and pulsating.

From the moment the show began, the audience was drawn to Wenham’s power and presence on stage, with the actor giving an authoritative performance in the role. What was particularly notable though was that Wenham showed a great deal of range in his acting, avoiding the overwrought performance with little emotional gradation that many Shakespearean-style actors (of which this certainly felt like in stature) fall into the trap. He held the audience in the palm of his hand, bringing them on his journey and allowing them to feel his emotion with him, which was very well received by the crowd. There was some humour in the play, which Wenham and Ryan weaved in seamlessly but this only served to make the tragedy even more brutal when Wenham recounted it, further amplifying the audience reaction. 

A highlight (if one can call it that) of the show was Wenham’s devastating recitation of all the various wars that have plagued human history over the past two millennia, showing that although humans may think they have a handle on progress, they still fall into the same patterns of suffering and tragedy, very much placing the story in a modern and relevant context. It was powerful, poignant and deeply moving and incredibly well-executed by Wenham. Also well done were the references to Australia, which often feel out of place in a production like this, but Wenham made them work and made them feel like they gave the piece character and local reference, which was well appreciated.

Equally strong was Helen Svoboda, who sang, played double bass and also danced on stage. She brought an incredible presence to the show, complementing Wenham perfectly and bringing an energy to match the weariness of Wenham’s poet, cursed as he tells the story over and over again. Both roles were incredibly challenging for the two performers but they nailed them at every step, showing an absolute mastery of their craft that would struggle to be replicated.

Overall, this is a play that is epic in its scope and visceral in its execution, with a display of acting that is as good as you will ever see. Wenham is extraordinary in the role, performing with range and register to make the audience feel everything about the classic tale. While Wenham will deservedly get a great deal of the credit, this is a play that does not work without the incredible performance of Svoboda as well, who amplifies the tragedy with her thrilling musical and dramatic performance.This is not an easy watch but it is an accessible watch, with a reasonable length and superlative acting that can connect with the audience on many levels, as demonstrated by the lengthy standing ovation at the end of this performance. Without doubt, this is one of the best plays to have been put on in Sydney this decade. This show is almost sold out already despite its long run until the end of June, so buy your tickets now as this is absolutely not one to miss.

Rating: ★★★★★

An Iliad plays at the Wharf 1 Theatre until 21 June. For more information, click here. 

All photo credits: Daniel Boud