Battle of the sexes far from limp in comedy 'Lysistrata'

By Lisa Rajt

Daily Arts Writer

Begin with prosthetic genitalia. Add equal parts great acting and a visually pleasing set, and then throw in a whole lot of Greek comedy. What do you get? A hell of a good time. Welcome to "Lysistrata," the latest production by the Department of Theater and Drama.

The plot of the original play is fairly well-known. Set in war-torn ancient Greece, a bunch of women decide to use their most powerful weapon to help stop the war in which their husbands are fighting: Sex. That's right, until the fighting stops, these women will not be making love to their husbands. Led by the character Lysistrata, played by Jessie Cantrell in this production, women from all over Greece win their own little war, with weapons of a most innovative kind.

In the production, the setting will be a turn-of-the-century music hall, instead of ancient Greece. This will serve to "complement the interior of the Lydia Mendelssohn Theater," said director Malcolm Tulip, who adapted the production for the music hall setting. The plot will remain unchanged.

Originally written as part of a fertility festival, this play will use some standard accoutrements of Greek theater, including both erect and limp prosthetic genitalia, which will help the men look ridiculous. There will also be body padding and masks for those in the chorus. The humor will not be watered down for today's politically correct audience, either. It promises, Tulip said, to be "joyful, bawdy, and short!"

Don't worry about the show being distasteful, however. Students of all types will enjoy the humor of this play, and the energy and enthusiasm of all involved will shine through. "It is fast paced, funny, and damn good-looking," Tulip said. The set and costumes, done by Nephelie Andonyadis, were intended to please the eye and add pizzazz to the audience's experience. In addition, the cast of over 20 students will each be decked out in costumes that, despite the turn-of-the-century setting, are definitely not the usual stuffy and prim style of the Victorian era in which the play is set.

Aristophanes, the author of the play, was born in Athens around 448 BC, and was known primarily as a satirist. No political party or social group escaped from Aristophanes' weapon of choice, the pen. He wrote over 40 plays in his lifetime, and Lysistrata is widely recognized as being his most famous work.

The political origins of this comedy stem from the Peloponnesian War. Written in 411 BC, Aristophanes sought to influence politics by writing the political and social satire "Lysistrata," in the hopes that the war would end as a result.

As always, the play will feature excellent acting by students within the department of Theater and Drama, a division of the School of Music.

Courtesy of UMS

A comedy with roots in the Pelopennisian War, "Lysistrata" examines what happens to big, burly Greek soldiers when they ladies say, "Um, not tonight."