Lysistrata
by Aristophanes.
Performed on the Main Stage of California State University, Long Beach.
Lysistrata is a comic account of a woman's extraordinary mission to end the Peloponnesian War between Greek city states by denying all the men of the land any sex, which was the only thing they truly and deeply desired. Lysistrata persuades the women of the warring cities to withhold sexual privileges from their husbands and lovers as a means of forcing the men to negotiate peace—a strategy, however, that inflames the battle between the sexes.
Inspiration
Set in a pseudo-World War 2 landscape, the visual language of the play was inspired by the famous Cecil Beaton photograph “Fashion Is Indestructible”, published by British Vogue in 1941. The photo depicts a model in a couture suit looking at Blitz ruins. In America, women played important roles during the war. Besides the 350,000 women who also served their country in uniform (working office and clerical jobs, drove trucks, repaired weapons and fighter planes, and worked as nurses) women on the Home Front took up jobs that otherwise would have gone to men.
Our version of the classic farce not only highlights the prominent role women play in wartime, but also explores the popular (and cliche?) subject matter of the “Battle of the Sexes”. The women used their most powerful weapons, (besides their brains?) their sexuality and physicality, to influence their men.
For costuming, it was decided that the men in the play would be wearing army-esque uniforms in green and camo, with touches of khaki and grey. With that settled, I chose to costume the women in complimentary warm tones to differentiate our two opposing factions. When the women decide to seduce their men, they strip down to their undergarments; slips, bras, and tap pants all in various skin tones, pinks, and burgundy colors. We also enhanced the women’s busts and hips to create ultra-feminine presentation.
Lysistrata is the main protagonist and mastermind behind the women's strategy. She is our leader. I dressed her in a more business-like, "serious" silhouette, as I wanted her to command authority. She was given broad, structured shoulders--the closest to the silhouettes of the men in the play.
Kalonice (or Calonice) is Lysistrata's chummy neighbor. She consistently speaks in double entendre, and is very sexual in nature. She is dressed to further accentuate her breasts and hips--with a low neckline punctuated by a glittering brooch, as well as a pleated peplum. her costume includes luscious textures--fur, velvet, satin--fabrics that beg to be touched.
Myrrhine has a more youthful and eager quality to her language. She is persuaded to take part in Lysistrata's strategy, and gladly accepts the challenge. She seduces and teases her husband Kinesias in a comedic and sexy display. It was my intent that Myrrhine closely resemble a classic 40s pinup. Pinup illustrations became a wartime inspiration for soldiers--their images were painted on the noses of fighter planes as symbols of the security of their waiting sweethearts on the Home Front.
Lampito is Spartan, and is described as brawny--she is a formidable woman and is a leader in the Spartan faction. We gave her a strong silhouette, similar to Lysistrata--but with a draped shawl collared, double breasted jacket to highlight her femininity and curves.
Ismenia is a young, pretty girl who never speaks. We kept her in cool, pale tones to highlight her purity.
