‘An Iliad’ Is Brilliant, And Rightly Frustrated At Its Own Relevance

It’s really quite tragic that one of the oldest surviving fictional stories is one of a great war. The influence of Homer’s Iliad on culture is truly unquantifiable – so what does it say that one of the foundational texts of “Western culture” is one of wrath and vengeance on the battlefield? 

Such is the question posed by An Iliad, a modern staging of Homer’s seminal text by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare that’s indescribably frustrated at its own enduring relevance. 

Yet it doesn’t look to only self-flagellate. Rather, director Damien Ryan’s staging of An Iliad is one worthy of this literal epic, thanks largely to its brilliant deployment of David Wenham in a show full of splendid visual trickery and gorgeous music that’s true to the original work.  

For a tale about two ancient civilisations making war, An Iliad appears deceptively barren at first. Before Wenham steps out as the nameless Poet, the Wharf 1 Theatre feels more like an empty warehouse than a stage. But soon enough, the Poet emerges from a roller door, beginning to wax… well, poetic. 

An Iliad showcases a true mastery over storytelling and stagecraft

“Every time I sing this song, I hope it’s the last time,” mourns the Poet, begging for assistance from the muses of old in telling this ancient tale as he wheels out a massive cart of collected goods and props. Early in the show, it becomes apparent why it’s An Iliad – the fact that it’s a modern interpretation of the work is a textual element of the show itself. 

Thus, as a contemporary reimagining, An Iliad can suit Homer’s work to a modern audience in a manner that is a worthwhile adaptation for those who’ve read the poem, and a fantastic introduction for anybody more hazy on its details. Part of that lies in Wenham’s brilliance as an actor and orator throughout the show, who understandably suffuses the text with a sense of great importance. 

Better still is his delicate balance of tone that allows him to veer into more humorous elements on the fly. This balance only grows more enrapturing to watch when Helen Svobada joins him on stage in a moment I shan’t spoil, playing the muse to Wenham’s world-weary poet with an appropriate sense of mysticism; though like her co-star, she too is never sentenced to deadly seriousness all the time. 

Still, the work these two do together is nothing short of stage magic. As Wenham conveys Peterson and O’Hare’s beautifully-written script, Svobada plucks away at her cello or plays the flute – occasionally at the same time – and creates a true soundscape for the audience. 

Undeniably brilliant, but occasionally too obvious

Paired with some truly inspired prop-work, An Iliad feels like the closest modern experience possible to hearing Homer’s work from a rhapsode in ancient times. But if I can levy one criticism at this phenomenal show, its occasional obviousness in delivering its themes rubbed me the wrong way when so much of the text speaks for itself. 

One scene in particular, while effective, felt out of place to me. While recounting a particularly bloody section of the Trojan War, the Poet pauses to draw similarities to other wars throughout history. What follows is Wenham reciting a seemingly endless list of wars – he even name-drops Gaza and the ongoing war in US/Israel war with Iran.

Though it injects the show with more direct political relevance that I can appreciate, it moves the subtextual element of the show distractingly to the forefront. The addition of the most recent conflicts make this scene feel particularly didactic, and as if the show doesn’t trust the audience to connect the thematic dots on their own. 

Alas, such a gripe could not meaningfully detract from this truly sensational night of theatre. In no uncertain terms, An Iliad is utterly brilliant, helmed by a superb David Wenham as he brings this ancient text to life. Paired with the magical musicianship of Helen Svobada and considered direction by Damien Ryan, this production does right by one of the world’s oldest stories.

An Iliad is playing now at Wharf 1 Theatre until June 7th.