Holding Achilles – REVIEW
Image: Stephen Madsen as Achilles and Karl Richmond as Patroclus in Holding Achilles. Photo: Dean Hanson
By GUY JAMES WHITWORTH
You know those tacky daytime “infomercials” that sell everything from shower-screen cleaner to gaudy jewellery that often proclaim, ‘but wait, there’s more!’ adding in extra benefits in order to seal the deal? Well, Holding Achilles, rather bizarrely has elements of those commercials.
Certainly neither tacky nor gaudy, Holding Achilles is elegant and spectacular, in fact almost ridiculously spectacular in every way, from staging, choreography, design, costumes and lighting, it is all often breathtakingly epic!
Throughout the two and a half hour show, extra levels of theatrics just keep coming. It’s not just a love story, it’s love story involving gravity defying arial choreography! Yet wait – there’s more! There isn’t just a delightful soundtrack, there is a world-renowned vocalist wandering around the stage (the truly glorious Montaigne) adding soaring emotive vocals into the mix.
Indeed, if anything, this modern interpretation of the classic tale is almost an embarrassment of riches. An expertly put together joint production between Dead Puppet Society and Legs On The Wall. Quite honestly, as I write this I am tempted to ring around my friends and organise an outing so I can see the show again.
The cast is an absolute dream with supermodel-esque leads in Stephen Madsen who plays Achilles and easily lovable Karl Richmond as legendary love interest Patroclus (although show-stealing shout-outs must go to Nic Prior who plays the mesmerising Chiron and the deliciously, evilly fearsome Agamemnon played by Lauren Jackson). Another star of the show is the set design which manages to move between minimalistic to magnificence with ease and grace.
For centuries philosophers have debated whether the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus was a sexual one or a brotherly one since Homer’s Illiad doesn’t not make this clear in the original text. However, in this production their relationship is openly depicted as a loving and sexual one. Yet unfortunately, and this is my one single gripe, with all the bells, whistles and talking Minotaurs present on stage, the sense of intimacy (and believability) of that love story, despite the spectacular arial choreography, just doesn’t really quite fly.
For the telling of this legendary love story, perhaps less (action) would have definitely been more satisfying. However, since I’m keen for a second visit, as an overall sensory experience, Holding Achilles obviously left me wanting more, more, more in the best way possible.
