Holding Achilles

It’s hard to fit Homer’s epic The Iliad into just two hours.  One success starting at an earlier Sydney Festival was William Zappa’s modestly staged version with few effects and just three other actors – that took two long days to unfold! 

But Holding Achilles doesn’t bother much with Homer’s words. Physical theatre troupe Legs on the Wall and the Dead Puppet Society crowd up the space with much aerial flying and pole flighting, a giant bear and other manipulated creatures, a booming musical background and ethereal songstress, and actors running on and off as the ten year battle for Troy hits the climax.

Premiered at the last Brisbane Festival, these impressive resources are meant to focus on the true gay love story between the gorgeous legendary warrior Achilles (Stephen Madsen) and his (here young) companion, Patroclus (Karl Richmond).  After three thousand years of speculation, Homer probably wouldn’t bat an eyelid at this queering of his heroes.

Not unlike other rom coms, they start with a boyish dislike of each other, move to comrades and then to a physical relationship, which is here coyly choreographed with little chemistry. 

David Morton directs his own script, with a dialogue mostly stilted with plotlines and unreal exclamation, which the cast of ten struggle to give truth. The drama is instead sacrificed for the circus, from movement director Joshua Thomson, which on high, our lovers and others handle with aplomb.  And there is real excitement in the fighting.

Tony Buchen and Chris Bear’s unrelentingly driven score backs Montaigne’s impressive, unworldly singing, if overwhelming her words.    Anna Cordingley’s classic circular stage is crowned with an global orb, turning between sun and moon, showing shifting time.

But like David Morton’s modern vernacular speech, Cordingley’s mixed costumes suggest an indecision of time or place – they bring no verisimilitude to the production.

I was looking forward to Holding Achilles, as no doubt were the many partners and collaborators credited in the lengthy program.  But to better evoke the place, islands and love of this great story, read the tender and sensual version, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller.

Martin Portus

Photographer: Jacquie Manning