First performed for the 2021 Four Winds Festival, this Sydney and Adelaide Festival hit returns to the Windsong Pavilion presenting Homer’s epic poem for a marathon one day performance by actor writer William Zappa, accompanied by Persian tar/oud player Hamed Sadeghi and percussionist Sohrab Kolahdooz.
Homer’s Iliad is the HBO series of the classics – the greatest story of heroism, betrayal and war. The world’s oldest ‘performed story’ is thrillingly brought to life by actor and playwright William Zappa in this rhythmic adaptation – complete with episode recaps and accompanied by a live score of percussion and tar. Presented in one day, audiences can book individual sessions or settle in for a full day to binge-watch this thrillingly immediate staging of a seminal statement on humanity.
“[Zappa’s] sovereign adaptation… embraces all the joyful and bitter shades of human experience, bringing us round the campfire once again.”
Zappa’s sonorous voice introduces and guides listeners through the ancient but urgently relevant epic set during the Greek decade-long siege of Troy. Rather than a glorification of war, The Illiad Out Loud issues a warning as relevant today as it was in ancient times.
“This Iliad is a prodigious undertaking and a truly awesome achievement.”
Artists
William Zappa, writer, adaptation, director, performer,
Hamed Sadeghi, tar
Sorab Kolahdooz, percussion
Georgia Adamson, guest performer
Parts
Part 1: 10am-12pm
Interval 1: 1pm-2pm
Part 2: 1pm-3pm
Interval 2: 3pm-4pm
Part 3: 4pm-6pm
Tickets
Flexipass users, please validate pass first before selecting tickets.
To be eligible for a concession price a current full time student or pension card is required.
Food orders are now closed. A limited selection will be available on site – first come, first served.
Meet the Artists
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
William Zappa
William Zappa is recognised as one of Australia’s greatest stage actors, with a career spanning theatre, film and television; most recently appearing The Twelve Series 3 on Binge, Operations Buffalo on the ABC, and films Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears and The Dry. Working for 8 years on his adaptation of The Illiad Out Loud for the stage, it was presented to sold out seasons at Sydney Festival 2019 and Adelaide International Arts Festival 2020.
Hamed Sadeghi
Hamed Sadeghi is an Iranian-born tar player and composer based on Gadigal land (Sydney). Trained as a Persian classical musician in Tehran, Hamed’s haunting compositions give you a taste of his cherished culture.He has performed at the most notable music festivals and in prestigious concert halls in Australia and around the world. He has toured nationally and internationally with his band Eishan Ensemble, the improvisation trio Vazesh and with Persian maestro Shahram Nazeri amongst others. He has been scoring music for multiple theatre and dance productions including Sami in Paradise Belvoir 2018, Stop Girl Belvoir 2021, The Boomkak Panto Belvoir 2021, Cloe Fournier’s Tout Ce Sa at Sydney Dance Company, English Melbourne Theatre Company and William Zappa’s The Iliad at Sydney Festival, Adelaide Festival and Four Winds festival. As a composer Sadeghi has released 6 albums to critical acclaim and has earned recognition through nominations for ARIA Awards 2021 for best world music album and best jazz album He has been a finalist at APRA Art Music Awards and has been nominated for best original score of mainstage production at Sydney Theatre Awards.
Sohrab Kolahdooz
Sohrab Kolahdooz is a versatile percussionist, educator, and music advocate whose work spans continents and cultures. With a deep passion for rhythm, Sohrab has performed and collaborated with acclaimed musicians around the world. Drawing from diverse musical traditions, his artistry blends technical mastery with a keen sense of creative expression. As a music academy manager, he has also shaped educational spaces where students thrive and explore their musical potential. Sohrab’s performances and projects reflect his dedication to expanding the boundaries of percussion, while his commitment to music education continues to inspire the next generation of musicians.
Georgia Adamson
Georgia Adamson appeared in The Iliad Out Loud at the Four Winds Festival in 2021. She has performed for many Australian theatre companies, including Sydney Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare Company, the State Theatre Company of South Australia, Sport for Jove, Tamarama Rock Surfers, and the Ensemble Theatre. Her film credits include Smoke Between Trees, Footy Legends and Hacksaw Ridge and she has performed in numerous Australian television shows including The Jury: Death on the Staircase, After the Verdict, RFDS, Home & Away, The Code, Love Child, A Place to Call Home, Rescue Special Ops, All Saints, Gangs of Oz, McLeod’s Daughters, Out of the Blue and A Country Practice. In 2015, Georgia received the coveted Sydney Theatre Award for her performance in Sport for Jove’s acclaimed production of The Crucible.