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For the next two weeks, the Baxter Theatre Centre’s intimate Flipside theatre space will be transformed into a stark, war-scarred arena for a landmark local staging of ‘An Iliad’, a one-man stage show that has thrilled theatre-goers worldwide.
Since ‘An Iliad’ first premiered in New York, the play has been hailed as an important but unsettling piece of theatre, and it’s a gear shift for multi-award-winning actor Alan Committie.
Written by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, ‘An Iliad’ is a lean 95-minute solo performance that pulls Homer’s Iliad firmly into the present. The narrative tracks the final, brutal weeks of the Trojan War – off you go to Wikipedia for more on that – but blends the poetry of Homer with blunt modern language to make the ancient violence feel uncomfortably close.
"It’s a really interesting script because it tells the story of The Iliad in 90 minutes, with The Poet playing all the parts," says Committie. "That in itself is an intriguing theatrical device. But it also speaks to a greater issue, of the ongoing need of humans to engage in war, so the piece has a wider resonance."
The role is a significant departure from the stand-up comedy and flipchart routines for which Committie is best known. Under the direction of Geoffrey Hyland, Committie takes on the monumental task of ‘The Poet’: an immortal, exhausted storyteller condemned to retell the horrors of Troy again and again, until humanity finally kicks its addiction to war.
For Committie, it’s a marathon role, as he shifts through dozens of characters – petulant gods, swaggering warriors, grieving kings – with a haunting soundscape performed live by ‘The Muse’, Charl-Johan Lingenfelder in this production, to thread tension through the room.
"The live soundtrack is a fascinating component, and it’s a hero of the storytelling," adds Committie. "Charl is moving between a Greek lyre, a guitar, recorded sound effects, and live instrumentation, mixing it all while the story is happening. So as The Muse to The Poet, he is supporting and encouraging, pulling back where the storyteller goes too far. Coaxing him forward. So it’s an interesting relationship between the two of them."
Since its New York premiere, ‘An Iliad’ has built a reputation as a gut-punching piece of theatre that forces the audience to grapple with humanity’s obsession with war and conflict. And will it ever end?
This limited Cape Town run is a chance to see one of the city’s most mercurial performers at the peak of his powers. Don’t miss out.
How to book for ‘An Iliad’
- The show runs from 24 February – 14 March, 2026, at Baxter Theatre Centre’s Flipside
- Performances are nightly at 7.30pm, with Saturday matinees at 3pm.
- It’s an intimate space and a no-interval production, with no late entries permitted once the show starts.
- Tickets via Webtickets from R220 to R270. The run is limited, so book early if you want to catch it.
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