All the world’s a stage for peace

ANTI-WAR LYSISTRATA PROJECT

Quebec actors out in force to demonstrate support for peaceful resolution in Iraq


MATT RADZ

GAZETTE THEATRE CRITIC

With a wind-whipped chill plunging below 40 degrees Celsius, Montreal registered the coolest of the 1004 Lysistrata Project readings that took place around the world yesterday. The massive anti-war protest was staged by theatre artists in 59 countries.

All-star readings of Aristophanes's 2400-year-old comedy - in which the women of Athens go on a sex strike against war - attracted sold out houses at Monument National (in English) and at Theatre du Nouveau Monde (in French). One company took its theatre to the streets, drawing a small crowd of media observers to a mock news conference outside the U.S. consulate on St. Alexandre St.

Masquerading as a U.S. diplomat in a white stetson adorned with stars and stripes, Optative Theatrical Laboratories artistic director Donovan King railed against the danger of "cultural terrorism" posed by the Lysistrata Project, before he was pied in the face, wrapped in plastic and whisked away by members of his company.

A total of eight readings of Lysistrata were set for Montreal; including an evening show
by Optative at Concordia University's downtown D.B. Clarke Theatre, but an all-day event planned at the McGill Bookstore on McTavish did not materialize. Two colourfu1, posters and a stack of mimeographed scripts were prominently displayed in a corner near the second floor cafe, but no one in the store knew anything or seemed to care about the protest.

Things could not have been more different at the sold-out event at Monument National, where the readers included the godfather of Canadian theatre Bill Glassco, Centaur artistic director Gordon McCall and such members of the new generation as Stacey Christodoulou, artistic director of The Other Theatre, Gravy Bath's Madd Harold and Patrick Goddard of the Fringe Festival.

"When I first started planning this event I had no idea if any artistic directors would even agree to be a part of the project, organizer Lara Goldenberg said in an interview yesterday.” Just three short weeks later, not only have I had overwhelming support from the artistic directors, but I have been surprised by the people who have come forth to offer their services. Everyone in the theatre community wanted to get on board and pitch in. Although each individual involved in the project has his or her own opinion about finding a solution to the current situation, we all stand united on one front: we support the UN in its endeavors, and we do riot support the Bush administration's call to arms."

A French-language adaptation of Lysistrata written in 1969 by Michel Tremblay and Andre Brassard drew a full house at Theatre du Nouveau Monde, where the cast included Anne-Marie Cadieux, Janine Sutto, Marie Tifo, Seraphin star Pierre Lebeau and veteran Jean-Louis Roux.

A Lysistrata with live music took place at Cafe Sarajevo plus readings at Lionel-Groulx and Edouard Monpetit CEGEPs.

The anti-war project was started in January by two New York actresses, Kathryn Blume and Sharron Bower: They intended a one-off ~ding to mark their opposition to any new war in the Gulf.

In New York, the main performance last night featured Hollywood stars Kevin Bacon and F. Murray Abraham.

For more information, check out www.lysistrataproject.com

LONDON DAILY TELEGRAPH CONTRIBUTED TO THIS REPORT