C of C's 'Lysistrata' a bawdy delight

Dusting off antique stage plays can be tricky, if the original is by a comic genius of 2,500 years ago, such as Aristophanes, author of "Lysistrata."

The College of Charleston's Department of Theatre opened its production of this comedy in a modern adaptation by British playwright Ranjit Bolt, nephew of Robert Bolt, famous for the screenplays of "Lawrence of Arabia" and "A Man for All Seasons."

Young Bolt's "Lysistrata" captures the bawdiness of the original, up to the more or less acceptable side of proper decorum, if you accept what is on contemporary television as proper. The story line is that the women of Athens, angry at the continuing war between their city and Sparta, plot to deny their warrior husbands sex as long as they continue to fight.

The ringleader is Lysistrata, who emerges as a likeable proto-feminist in the capable hands of Kaitlin Winslow. Her cohorts Kalonike (Regan Blum), Lampito (Sam Pedings) and Myrrhina (Allison Arvay) emerge as sexy, supportive but ditzy individuals.

On the opposing side, Jesse Budi creates the perfect buffoon of an Athenian magistrate who can't seem to get the point of Lysistrata's arguments.

The production also vibrates with clever original music by Antonio Nappo, Matt Giedraitis, Toby Singer and Director Allen Lyndrup, who deserves a lion's share of accolades for pulling this comedy off.