Bukky Oronti and Stella Antonogiannaki in Gladiatrix at Venue 45 at theSpace. Picture: Cameron Avery
Gladiatrix continues at Venue 45 at theSpace until 23 August 2025.
Star rating: four stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩
In 200AD, the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus decreed that women could no longer compete in Gladiator contests. From this single historical footnote comes Gladiatrix.
It essentially revolves around four of these fighters; Deireoe (Bukky Oronti), Felicitas (Olivia Blair), Mevia (Kirsten Longmuir) and Vita (Stella Antonogiannaki), all from different social backgrounds, all with different stories to tell, each with a different reason for fighting. For them, gladiatorial combat is their lifeline. What will they do when that is taken away?
The opening number, ‘Sex Sells’, is stunning. A great musical score by Tony Gonzalez and Sam Johnides, magnificent chorus work, all topped with nail-biting gladiatorial-combat choreography by Longmuir. Each of the nine set-pieces which comprise the bulk of the show are precisely and beautifully staged.
However, after such a strong opening, the entrance of Marius (writer and lyricist Paul Bianchi) reading a source book, deflates that initial energy. Perhaps we need a breather after such a strong opening, but occasionally these interludes (only a fraction of the show) are dangerously close to turning this into a history lesson. Make no mistake, the spoken sections, replete with rhyming-couplets are clever, but they do take away from the momentum. Perhaps they should be underscored?
That said, there’s a lot of fun in it as well a drama. “I don’t carry a grudge,” emperor Septimius Severus’ theme tune (a wicked performance by Dashaun Vegas) is a delight. And Stephen Quinn as Cato delivers an empathetically everyman performance as Cato.
The singing, choral and individual, is powerful. That said, perhaps the backing track could have been taken down a tad, or radio mics used (a couple of the company had quieter voices).
This has the feeling of a show which has been trimmed for the Fringe. It could be longer (it’s only 50 minutes) so that the characters are given more time to develop.
It’s not quite there yet. It has the makings of a great show. But the songs, singing, choreography and staging are a great show. The audience all rose in a standing ovation.
James Bryce
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