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David Wenham Wins Raves in STC’s An Iliad

Critics praise a stripped-back staging with live music that reframes Homer’s war poem as a timely reflection on rage and conflict.

Overview

  • A five-star review in The Sydney Morning Herald hails Wenham’s commanding solo turn as a performance people will discuss for years.
  • The production is a 100-minute, mostly one-actor adaptation by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, directed by Damien Ryan with onstage musician Helen Svoboda.
  • Reviewers highlight the austere Wharf 1 design, noting a totemic handcart, live double-bass score, sculpted lighting, and precise sound that drive the storytelling.
  • Critics say the piece treats The Iliad as a living account of recurring war and unchecked rage, drawing clear lines to present-day conflicts without preaching.
  • Wenham’s first Sydney stage appearance in 27 years is singled out as a notable homecoming that raises the show’s stakes for local audiences.