A Funny thing about Sex and War

Wednesday 20 April 2005

The Conservatorium School of Music and Drama presents Lysistrata by Aristophanes the ultimate comedy of sex and war.

The date is 411 BCE, and the Athenians and their allies have been embroiled for twenty years in a destructive war with Sparta and its allies.

One bold woman, Lysistrata, conceives a plan to force the men to make peace. She persuades the women of all the cities to refuse to have sex with their men until a treaty is signed…

And so begins the funniest and most famous play by Aristophanes, the master comedian of ancient Greece.

The jokes come thick and fast as the women's plan drives the men to desperation; and, although there is one tricky moment when some of the women try to break the sex strike, Lysistrata and her friends pursue their outrageous scheme until she achieves her aim.

Associate Professor of Music and Drama, Michael Ewans directs his own racy new translation, which preserves all the humour of the original.

"Athenian comedy was completely uninhibited," says Michael, "so true to the original, this version contains explicit sexual language and scenes."

Anne-Marie Adams and Alex Martin play the lead parts of Lysistrata and the Bureaucrat in this production, which is otherwise cast from first year Drama students.
Choreographer Samantha Fiddes
Associate Director is Michelle Gordon.
The vivid contemporary costumes are by Julie Kirby.

Where: Drama Studio, Callaghan Campus
When: 7:30 pm Tuesday 26 to Saturday 30 April 2005
Adults $15 concession $10: advance group bookings $8 per head
Telephone (02) 4921 5001

For information and interviews contact Associate Professor Michael Ewans on 4921 8883.