FringeReview UK 2026
Triumph
Almeida Theatre
Genre: Contemporary, Dark Comedy, Drama, Feminist Theatre, Historical, Mainstream Theatre, New Writing, Political, Satire, Short Plays, Theatre, Translation, Verbatim Theatre
Venue: Almeida Theatre, Islington
Festival: FringeReview UK
Low Down
Triumph opens at the Almeida running at 20 minutes for two performances a week before Golden Boy, also still playing at the Almeida. Directed by James MacDonald Triumph runs till October 23.
A superb, substantial sliver from a master who can still cut it, gleaming and toothed and entire unto itself.
Review
A couple kiss. The man asks: “What’s your name?” The woman lies. Impossibly approaching the age Sophocles was when he wrote Oedipus at Colonus, Caryl Churchill’s latest play Triumph draws on sources nearly as ancient. Accounts and anecdotes from Seutonius’ The Twelve Caesars informs nearly all the bulletins Kate O’Flynn’s Iris delivers, rapt as a Karoline Leavitt. Triumph opens at the Almeida running at 20 minutes for two performances a week before Golden Boy, also still playing at the Almeida. Directed by James MacDonald Triumph runs till October 23.
Given Roman names, Iris and Marcus (Matthew Beard) cute-meet and are soon lovers. Neither initially recognises the other. He’s a barely-tolerated journalist twitching her memory. He’s dazzled by Iris without her “uniform” blonde wig and doesn’t recognise her at first. Marcus soon inserts caveats to the eternal triumphs of the emperor: also denoting the Roman Triumphs or festivals ordered for victorious generals.
Though Iris parries, and thrills to Marcus being in bed – though off-camera – when she delivers one address propped up, she’s first dismissive then frightened by the truth of his reports. The tortures, sudden exactions without trial, slaughters and behandings. Iris wants Marcus to live.
Something has clearly changed by the time of her next public address. Sargon Yelda’s Mandelson-type fixer Rufus might be the messenger of death. But is he? What has happened? And does speaking the truth necessarily hinder an Emperor?
Much of Seutonius we already know even if we haven’t read him. Much too is proverbial. Quite a bit got into I Claudius and Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea. It’s good to be reminded where it originated: with the most scurrilous, gossipy and savage of all ancient historians. Someone not entirely removed from Marcus himself.
Though clearly a stark parallel to Trump and dictators everywhere, with the Roman backdrop cloth offset by modern U.S. dress, it’s a two-way mirror. Whilst so many atrocities like invasions and booty from Britain startle with relevance, Churchill’s long game, wrong-way telescope crackles with the pattern of tyranny: how it’s unchanging, how natural to the order of history it seems. How democracy itself might prove – as some pessimistic historians prophesy – an aberration.
Naturally there’s delicious tweaks. “The heir to a noble family will wrestle a lawyer to the death.” The emperor “bulldozes” buildings for some grand project. It only takes a single word finessed to bring Seutonius’ world to Churchill’s. There’s clear kinship.
Emma White’s Whitehouse costumes suggest skins to be sloughed. O’Flynn strikes the right notes of wide-eyed shut and stirring unease. Beard’s ardent and idealistic stance is elegantly gutted by events. And Yelda’s sardonic quietness springs surprises for those inured to becoming the next dish carved up for the gods.
Riffing on Miriam Beuther’s temporary set fronting Golden Boy, the dimmed and spotlit podium on one side (with SPQR-style red and gold backdrop) and bed on the other is lit too by three fired bowls. There’s a proximity to sacrifice and it seems to invoke much blood. Imogen Clarke’s lighting elsewhere neatly slices a downstage world. If Robin Fisher’s video design amplifies the podium (or comically bed-propped) image, Hattie North’s sound opts for surprisingly naturalistic street and traffic sounds, distantly rumoured. A superb, substantial sliver from a master who can still cut it, gleaming and toothed and entire unto itself.
Casting Director Amy Ball CDG, Costume Supervisor Emma Ntinas, Wigs, Hair & Make-Up Supervisor Casey Martin
Production Manager Tom Horton, CSM Cheryl Firth, DSM Simon Perkins, Head of Costume Emma Ntines, Head of Running Wardrobe Danielle Knight, Chief Technician Jason Wescombe, Theatre Technician Robin Fisher, Lighting Technician Jocelyn-Jung Fu, Sound Supervisor Bryony Blackler, Sound No. 1 Erik Jackson.
