And She Would Stand Like This

One of the enduring tales from Antiquity is the tragedy of Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships. A couple of millennia later, the fateful story of survival and identity is the backdrop of Antipodes Theatre Company’s new elaborate, fierce and sassy show And She Would Stand Like This. As part of Midsumma Festival, the show strides into 2022 like a bejewelled and costumed Trojan Horse.

Based on Euripides’ The Trojan Women, the story is recontextualised as a modern observation of HIV/AIDS and characterises the women through the lens of Queer bodies of colour. As the story unfolds, each character is confronted by themes of betrayal, consent, family, grief, and ultimately, survival.

Part Greek tragedy, part Queer ball culture, Harrison David River’s And She Would Stand Like This is reminiscent of hit show Pose. Hecuba is the embodiment of Elektra Evangelista – a majestic, quick-witted and larger-than-life matriarch – who has an unwavering dedication to protecting her children from the dangers of the world and an unknown plague that rips through their community. Kikki Temple plays Hecuba to the hilt; she has the range and brings authentic vulnerability when the chips all come crashing down.

I was obsessed with the cast. Hecuba’s children, played by Miki Daely, Peter Wood and Guillaume Gentil, stole every scene they masterfully commanded. Their artistic range, comedic timing and abrasive demeanour brought the most laughs among the audience. The opening scene, a homage to Todrick Hall’s ‘Twerking in the Rain’, served some serious vogueing sequences and scored a perfect 10.

Beyond the glam and ferocity of the cast, though, is an ongoing conversation between acceptance and the world we currently inhabit. Antipodes Theatre Company should be commended for fostering an inclusive space, working with women, ethnically diverse artists, trans and non-binary people.

Now on stage at Meat Market Stables in North Melbourne, And She Would Stand Like This is one of the most eclectic, entertaining and must-see shows at Midsumma this year.

And She Would Stand Like This
Meat Market Stables, 2 Wreckyn Street, North Melbourne, 3o51
On stage until Saturday 12 February 2022
themcshowroom.com/whatson/drama-school-a-play