Type – Theatre, War, History
If you liked – The Jungle and the Sea, Don Giovanni
Cleopatra & Antony: Reclaims its queen — not a lover who lost an empire, but one who nearly held two.
Cleopatra, the Queen of the Nile, is the face of modern soap and beauty products that invoke her legendary milk baths, honey treatments, and natural oils. Brands use her name to market luxurious, skin-softening ingredients backed by historical or mythical skincare routines. The Thea Neotera is also painted as the shrewd, political manipulator that ‘tricked’ and ‘stole’ Mark Antony away from his rightful duties in Rome. Much of the discourse around Cleopatra over the years has been around a femme fatale that ought not to be trusted. This interpretation is what director Sonya Suares sets out to correct in the Melbourne Shakespeare Company’s adaptation of the Shakespearean classic. This is Cleopatra & Antony, not the other way round, so strap yourselves in.
A grand epic that travels between Egypt, Rome and parts of Greece, the production follows the passionate, volatile relationship between Mark Antony – member of the Second Triumvirate of the Roman Empire following the fall of Julius Caesar – and Cleopatra, Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Set during the Battle of Actium, this epic tragedy shines light on the internal power struggles of a collapsing Roman Republic.
The staging of this play lives and dies by the casting of Cleopatra, and Akina Edmonds more than lives up to its demands. Physically enchanting as well as exceptionally talented with having mastery over more than ten languages, her Cleopatra is as magnanimous in stage presence and drama, as it is playful and beguiling in her micro-expressions. A single look has the power to command armies, a raised eyebrow makes one bend to her will, and her smallest movement across the stage makes you feel the full weight of her attention.
Tsungirai Wachenuka plays Charmian, the loyal handmaiden and servant to the queen, as well as a helpful narrator to help us navigate the enormous geopolitical stakes of the time. Through her narration, we understand just how much of the history we know is the way Romans intended for us to remember. Julia Hanna (Iras/Octavia) and Mikey Sakinofsky (Alexas/Menas) add humor and mischief to Cleopatra’s court. Angelo Torres‘ Soothsayer haunts the margins with quiet foreboding, while Damian Okulic and Deep Sroa round out the Roman ranks as Ventidius and Pompey, each doubling with ease across the play’s many fronts.
Louis Lucente plays Antony, embodying the moral and personal dilemmas of the flawed Roman triumvir who has been accused of neglecting his soldierly duties. In a viscerally sharp performance, Louis makes the emotional push-and-pull at the heart of Antony’s dilemmas believable. He is supported by his trusted lieutenants Eros and Enobarbus played deftly by Amir Antoine and Laura Iris Hill respectively who openly defy Antony’s obsessions with Cleopatra, describing her as having “infinite variety.” Damon Baudin plays chief antagonist Octavius/Augustus who is wary of the amount of influence the queen has over Antony, while also having one eye on the massive Egyptian wealth up for grabs if he plays his cards right.
Mark Yeates (Lepidus/Proculeius) and Jennifer Vuletic (Agrippa) play solid roles as counsel and negotiators between Octavius and Antony at times.
The design of the fortyfivedownstairs space means productions are assured an intimate gathering, and set designer Eloise Kent opts to keep the space minimal, enabling the actors to move with ease. One of my favorite moments was seeing the battle of the ships on the Ionian Sea play out with the help of the moving curtains and the synchronized movements of the actors, all gracefully choreographed by Tom Royce-Hampton – you could feel yourself swaying with them.
Against this minimal backdrop, costume coordinator Samantha Hastings adds a splash of blue by way of Cleopatra’s robes topped with an almost bedazzling display of jewelry. On the other hand, sound and music never take centre stage, and David Stewart opts for atmospheric soundscapes and short bursts of sound effects to support the unfolding action and let Shakespeare’s dialogue do the actual heavy lifting.
Is Cleopatra & Antony Worth Seeing in Melbourne?
Cleopatra and Antony is about two forces–each flawed in their own ways–clashing against each other in the backdrop of a world itself undergoing seismic shifts. Suares’ adaptation coupled with her actors’ performances shift our gaze to the influential and complex character that Cleopatra was, not a woman who led a man astray, but one who very nearly held two empires in the palm of her hand.
Tickets and Practical Info for Cleopatra & Antony in Melbourne 🎟️
Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne
Dates: 20 Aug — 13 Sep 2026
Approx. 90 Minutes with No Interval
Ticket link: https://fortyfivedownstairs.com/event/cleopatra-antony/
