Meditation Seven - Is that necessary?
Title/Subject: Staging Lysistrata
I think that staging Lysistrata would be a lot of fun. Like class demonstrated, most people find this play humorous. I don’t have a lot of history with comedy, but I think it would be a great experience. For the purpose of this meditation, I’m going to be staging Lysistrata for a college performance with a college crowd.
I think that this play lends itself to a more elaborate set than, say, Prometheus Bound, but in keeping with the times and within a college theater department’s budget and ability. The set for the first scene where Lysistrata first reveals her plan would be completely different from where it was set in the beginning, simply because I don’t see the necessity for the set it calls for, at least not for my performance. I would set the scene in a marketplace, simply because I see that as a pretty usual place for women to gather and with their men away at war, I don’t see that there would be anyone they don’t want to hear their plans. I would have a few tables set up with baskets of fruit and other kinds of produce, maybe some dirt scattered around to imitate the ‘streets’ it would be on, maybe some other wares they could be selling from that time – meats, clothes, etc. Each different woman or group of women would enter from different sides of the stage while Lysistrata would stay in the middle of the group.
For the transition from the marketplace to the fortress where the seduction scene takes place, the two choruses would step out of the marketplace and down stage to have their argument while the set was changed. The fortress would be a low wall of brick set in the middle of the stage with a platform behind it.
As for the costumes, I would not have the stuffed and over the top genitalia. I do not think the college would approve it and I also don’t find it necessary to the story, just like I didn’t find the set all that important. I realize that at the time these plays were originally performed all of this was needed to make the show a hit, but I think that the work speaks for itself now. I would focus more on physical and vocal comedy instead of the comedy behind the costumes. I would, however, keep the ‘taboo’ lines in the play – I think about the shows I’ve seen at Austin College so far and the shows I’ve heard that have been done in the past and I am sure they would be fine.
posted by Anonymous @ 11:52 PM
2 Comments:
I think you have a very unique idea as to how to stage Lysistrita, however I think I would do it entirely different. I think that is more important to stick to the history- however some modern adaptations are pretty good. I think if you do it the way it was originally intended to be performed, it will come across great no matter who your audience. Take Amphitryon for example, it was done with the original staging in mind and what we saw of it was hilarious. And as for not being appropriate for the audience- didn’t you see How I Learned to Drive? I am pretty sure sexual innuendo jokes are what makes this play so hilarious and it wouldn’t be the same without them. And if it’s true to the play, it should never be a problem. I also think that the stage is more important than the hand and stage props and I would focus more on that because there is so much more focus placed on their surroundings than stage filler. I think seeing your version would be interesting because it is do different from how it was originally meant to be, however I would prefer to stick to the original staging.
Honestly I think that the over the top stuffing is important to the play as a whole, it adds something necessary to the show. It being appropriate or not isn't really the question at all in this show, I am fairly certain that is the last thing to worry about with Lysistrada.
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