'An Iliad' tells the tale of the futility of war

The ancient Greek poet Homer’s “Iliad” is a 24-book epic of the Trojan War, originally told orally, the poet wandering village to village. At almost 28,000 lines, it was not recited, but must have been performed, the original rap.

Fast forward almost 3,000 years to the present moment, to Glenn Hergenhahn-Zhao’s performance of “An Iliad” at the iDiOM Theater in June. This Poet walks onto a near empty stage, chairs and tables scattered about, some overturned, a dresser, large drop cloths hanging from the top of walls and on some of the furniture.

The Poet is as disheveled as the room, his fedora...