M8 F11. A bathhouse steam room. Period Ancient Greek Athens is in the grip of a futile, destructive war with Sparta and its men are fighting abroad, taken away from their wives and families for long periods at a time. The women of Athens have had enough. At dawn, in a men's bathhouse, leading society woman Lysistrata gathers an assembly of Athenian and Spartan women to discuss negotiating a peace treaty. Their tactics are simple: they will refuse their men sex until peace is declared. Germaine Greer and Phil Willmott's wonderful adaptation of Aristophanes' play "treads expertly between the tremendous and the tacky" ("Observer"). With Carry On characters, a cartoon-style set, raunchy dialogue and bawdy action performed to a soundtrack of Marilyn Monroe and Julie London, the serious subject of war remains prominent amid the humour in this battle of the sexes. "Fast, broad, silly and profound." ("Independent on Sunday").
