The Homecoming is playing at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre 2 until October 3rd. More information and tickets via shakespeareaustralia.com.au
A revival of the groundbreaking 1965 play by Harold Pinter, the Australian Shakespeare Company’s production of The Homecoming is a challenging, thought-provoking and surprisingly hilarious excursion into some dark subject matter, which will give audiences plenty to chew on afterwards.
Ostensibly a family drama revolving around the “homecoming” of a son and his wife, Pinter’s scathing work is so much more that its plot framework, as it exposes toxic masculinity and the submissive role women are sometimes forced to assume in society, but does so in a way that still feels scarily relevant in 2026.
Populated with six rich and interesting characters, we’re invited into a cosy London flat in the 1960s, the home of crotchety retired butcher Max (Richard Piper) who is constantly bickering with his more kindly brother Sam (David Field). Lurking around is Max’s son, the caddish Lenny (Ben Geurens), who has an unseemly occupation which is hinted at often, as well as the oafish would-be boxer Joey (Eddie Orton), another of Max’s offspring.
Widower Max seemingly spends his days finding things to be upset about, but is nonetheless a proud father to at least two of his children. The exception to that is the returning Teddy (Peter Houghton), fresh off a plane from America with wife Ruth (Kate Kendall) in tow.
Entering the family home unannounced, the other family members slowly learn one-by-one of their presence in the house, and we see how power dynamics within the family shift and change, and how the outsider Ruth is treated by her in-laws.
There really isn’t much plot to speak of in The Homecoming, but it’s so rich with vivid dialogue and deep characterisations that you’ll be absorbed right from the opening moments.
The show’s high point is the first encounter between Lenny and Ruth, which feels flirtatious and unsettling at the same time which is a testament to the acting of both Geurens and Kendall in that scene.
Pinter has created an intimate world which has a lot to say about society at large, leading to a slightly grim conclusion for pretty much all of its characters. There isn’t a lot of hope in this play, but there is a lot of ambiguity as well, so much is left for the audience to ponder as they exit the theatre.
The acting is first rate. There are only six characters on stage in total and every one of them feels unique and diverse.
Piper’s performance as a physically weak yet fearsome patriarch is extraordinary, commanding the stage at every moment. His witty repartee with Field, as the affable peacemaker Sam, is especially brilliant.
Geurens oozes charisma on the surface yet brilliantly suggests a darker side to his character, while Orton’s Joey is presented as a rather simple character, but seems to have more intelligence than he’s given credit for.
Completing the cast are the excellent Houghton and Kendall, whose introduction to the show really propels this production into high gear, with the always-wonderful Houghton perfectly encapsulating the role of an ineffectual, dull husband.
With probably the hardest role in the show, Kendall is excellent as Ruth, who tires of her marriage and seems open to any new opportunity, which leads the show in some directions I never saw coming as the second act progresses.
Kendall might not have as much dialogue as some of her co-stars, but her role is arguably the show’s most important and her presence looms large over all of the show’s characters.
The work of director Greg Carroll is superb, with the natural flow of dialogue and wonderful use of the stage a testament to his fluid direction.
Pinter’s work is always challenging and demands scrutiny and evaluation afterwards, and The Homecoming is no exception.
I’ll admit there are probably many elements of the show that went over my head or I failed to grasp, but the core elements of what the show is saying about how controlling and inescapable a family can be and how women are sometimes viewed as commodities rather than people are impossible to ignore.
The Homecoming is definitely a play I will continue to analyse and sit with for many weeks to come, and I definitely feel like it demands multiple viewings to catch all that is going on with this piece.
Thanks to its flawless cast, and a script that is both witty and unsettling in equal measure, The Homecoming is one of the most memorable nights at the theatre I’ve had in a long time.
4.5/5 STARS
TINSEL and TAP SHOES 