Lysistrata

Lasting, universal morals feel squandered in this new production which only gently pushes on the right buttons

★★
theatre review (edinburgh) | Read in About 2 minutes
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39658 original
Published 19 Aug 2014
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102793 original

Will we ever tire of adapting Greek theatre? The Fringe is a nest of multiform renovations of Ancient literature, from interpretive dance to solo theatre, ensemble, music and installation pieces. But Aristophanes’ comedy Lysistrata can often be, dare we utter the phrase, outdated if adapted in the kind of shallow waters that writer, director and designer Christopher Adams operates in. Its lasting, universal morals feel squandered in this new production which only gently pushes on the right buttons.

The classical tale of a group of women, led by the raging heart of Lysistrata, is transferred from the days of the Peloponnesian War to austerity Athens. Despondent at the lack of jobs, economic growth and seething at the need for global bailouts, our protagonist (Louisa Hollway) leads her army of women to occupy The Acropolis. Proclaiming their sex strike with chants of “no more prick!”, we soon learn this is as much a personal inner-battle for Lysistrata as it is a need to fix the world.

The trouble with Adams’ production is that there are greater challenges facing the economic inequality we find ourselves in than the patriarchy. Its simplistic call-to-arms that we must rise up and protest is a sturdy message that promotes engagement in politics, demonstration and education. All tremendously laudable intentions. But it quickly becomes too shrill and overblown to be taken seriously. Its rather serious debates on how power is routed, either through men or women in charge of global organisations today, and that objectification is as rife as it has ever been, are iterations that we are all too familiar with.