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Make Love not War
08 November 2011 by Nicky
The premise of the story of Artishophanes' classic ancient Greek
comedy Lysistrata is well know and quite simple - Make Love not
War.
The ladies of ancient Greece, in order to force a peace treaty
to end the Peloponnesian War, withhold sexual favours from their
men folk. Being a comedy, the men eventually have no choice but to
agree. In Actors of Dionysus' latest offering at the Rose
Theatre in Kingston, it is quite obvious how the men are feeling.
We don't need to listen to their tortured anguish in long speeches
- we can see it. In fact you can hardly take your eyes
off..enormous thick, foot long (although who's measuring??) phallic
limbs which are attached to both male actors. Perhaps this is why
the company has suggested a 16+ age limit, which frankly I think is
a shame, since the comedy is universal for most ages. Ok you
woulnd't want to bring a young 10 year old but perhaps Surrey
audiences are a tad delicate.
Actors of Dionysus have to be applauded. This
small Brighton-based company translates and adapts Greek drama for
modern audiences, and not just your for your highbrow theatregoer
looking for the origins of modern theatre in Greek drama. Their
theatre is for everyone whether or not they've heard of
Aristophanes. Being set in Greece David Stuttard who adapted the
play, has been given a few wonderful opportunities to bring the
show up to the minute - right down to the (almost) last line -
"Shall we hold a referendum?". Although "Athens has money and
always will" raised more than one eyebrow.
Yet main premise must be to entertain, and perhaps learn a bit
about Greek drama along the way. Many congratulations to the cast
of five.. The energy they put into throwing themselves around the
stage for comic effects was exhausting for this audience member. Is
Lysistrata on the university syllabi this year? Certainly there
were plenty of young people in the audience last night. They
probably wouldn't have wanted to watch one scene with their parents
as Fanny (Marie Lawrence) teases her husband Dick (Joseph Wicks)
complete with extra limg and refuses the favour. Yet they would
certainly relate to the game show ending when Lysistrata finally
gets the two sides to agree in a game show.
But the show demands crows of Athenians and warring
Peloponnesians and has to do with just ……five actors. Typical of
most non-commercial shows these days, a company has to perform with
minimal costs. This show could certainly do with more cast members
(careful!!) but one suspects that the funds just ain't there. Yet
AoD needs audiences to keep the craft alive and for that they
deserve huge applause. Arts Council funding is unlikely to increase in
the near future, yet AoD carries on regardless. I'm very much
looking forward to their next show - rumour has it that it could be
Medea. Meanwhile there is significant debate to be had about how
talent in the UK continues to be innovative despite diminshing
funds. The arts council needs to encourage this sort of work,
to inspire new generations to maintain the reputation of innovative
theatre in UK to be the best in the world.
Lysistrata continues at the Rose Theatre in Kingston until
11Nov.
Tickets £8.00 to £15.00
www.rosetheatrekingston.org