Montague Basement Presents BEFORE LYSISTRATA

Montague Basement's fierce new take on Aristophane's Lysistrata explores the reasons why women from both sides of the political line might decide to work together in the face phenomenal political intransigence and dick measuring.

Before Lysistrata, from Sydney-based artists Ellana Costa and Michaela Savina, will explore gender in politics, the role and nature of democracy and the heart, beauty and tragedy of both the Right and the Left.

"This play is a nod to third wave feminism 2000 years before it came around", Costa notes. "The weaponising of the female body by women for war. The female body becoming part of the arsenal rather than part of the battle field."

As Athenian men and Spartan boys are spurred on to fight by their leaders Pericles and Archidamus, Athenian First Lady Lysistrata and Spartan First Lady Lampito champion their country's cause on the home front. But as the war rages on, as both side suffer great losses, Lysistrata and Lampito have the values that underpin their country challenged and must decide what are they fighting for and what they should do to make it stop?

"We live in a post-pussy-grabbing world," says Costa. "Walking in the Womens' March in Sydney I saw a lot of 'Pussy Grabs Back' posters and Lysistrata was the OG pussy-grabs-backer."

Performed by three young women, Before Lysistrata examines the humanity and failings of each side in the hope we can come together for the greater good. The play offers no answers, only hope, and dick jokes.

"I had the idea for this play before Clinton lost the election, but wrote the bulk of it after the Womens' March" says Costa. "I originally wanted to write a play about the power of the First Lady in politics. About the line between professional and personal in politics when the first lady is just as capable as the leader."

In the current political climate, it has become clear that Lysistrata gives us more than interesting First Ladies, offering a story of a Democracy and a Dictatorship, and a metaphor for the Left and the Right.

"I wrote the bulk of it when I was angry that we lived in a world of Trump and Brexit, but more than that, I was also angry that the Left (including myself) had been so arrogant to see it coming, but not actually do anything about it."

Taking the stage at the Kings Cross Theatre from July 11, Before Lysistrata is a timely look at talking across political lines.

"I wanted to use Lysistrata and Athen's defeat and look at what would need to happen for the Left to reach out to the right, rather than just spoke down to them."
"We're all human and all of us can do better."

Bookings: montaguebasement.com/before-lysistrata

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