Sydney Reviews

Augusta, Georgia is best known for the Masters Golf Classic.

Paul Gilchrist’s play, Augusta, is set in ancient Rome, has a heroine called Honoria who has the honorary title of Augusta, and has nothing to do with golf, although the production is above par in all respects, something of a minor classic.

Based on a true story, as much as any story is true, but given poetic license, speculative perspective and dramatic latitude, Augusta bubbles with bravura and fizzes with fun. An hysterical history lesson, if you will.

Honoria is rich and has status but will never have the real power bestowed on her stupid sibling, the emperor, Valentinian. Vexed, she instigates a plan to bed down with the famous warlord of the horde, but is prevented in her quest to call Atilla “hun”.

A playful and provocative portrait of power and privilege, Augusta is also a blistering indictment of a paralysing patriarchy and patrician arrogance.  

Honoria Augusta is played with a commanding presence by Megan Bennetts, ambitious and smarter than her bone headed brother but relegated to chattel due to her gender.

Russell Cronin triple treats as a eunuch, a barbarian and an emperor, camping and capering, then posturing and parading, and finally vilely coercing.  

Alyona Popova opens and closes the show with an amusing and astute prologue and epilogue and in between brings an exquisite, attentive stillness to the character of Sisek, slave to Honoria Augusta.

Making an impressive directorial debut, Daniela Giorgi stages this epic story with pace and grace, nicely balancing the comedy with the inherent drama, all leads allowed to roam and revel in the marvellous word play of the piece.