The Trojan War, Nicholas Clark Management, The Q, 14-15 May (and subsequently to Bathurst, Caloundra and Townsville to 1 June)

 

The Kiwi team that brought us "Don Juan" in 2021 (review here) is back to do their thing with another classic out-of-copyright narrative - last time it was lust and love, this time it's war (though still with plenty of lust and love going on, they're a lusty company). The fivesome enlist the aid of audience members, some very sharp sound and lighting, some stylish costumes (including buckets on heads to be the helmets for Achilles and Hector), a few familiar songs and a couple of cardboard boxes to summarise a large chunk of Homer's "The Illiad" (and the tag end of the war that ended up in "the Odyssey") into 80 minutes with a whole lot of charm, with and physical nonsense.

The show begins with the cast bursting into the foyer to greet us all in an ebullient French manner (why French? well, why not, it's a fun accent to do and at least one of the cast members has done the proper clown training with Ecole Phillipe Gaulier which seems to be compulsory if you want to make a career out of nonsensical goofing about). For those who saw Don Juan, a lot of the essential elements remain - the cast is friendly and flirty and generous, and gentle in how they draw out audience participation, they achieve remarkable physical effects with minimal resources, they share roles with a simple iconic outfit choice (a veil for Helen, a blonde wig for Paris, the aforementioned bucket-helmets), and they touch on the essential themes of the story in amongst all the frolics. Part of their website describes their work as "party shows", and that's a pretty reasonable way to describe it - a party with fascinating friends telling you a powerful story. They fit into the more formal space of the Q as well as they fitted into the intimate traverse used in the B, still bringing the audience into their company and making them happy willing playmates. 

For such a small scale touring show, the sound and lighting is remarkably skillfully done - tight and effective, with a couple of clever choices giving it power. As a touring unit, the quintet of Susie Berry, Jack Bucannan, Andrew Patterson, Jonathan Price and Comfrey Sanders are a remarkable set of individuals and a powerful collective, under the direction of Lee Gene Peters giving the cast room to play within a strong overall structure. Sam Clavis is the technical wizard behind the expert sound and lighting. May the Dogs of War go on to conquer further and wider, and hopefully return with more mayhem and delight.