Lysistrata at the Rose

The theatre's blurb for this mentioned "Aristophanes’ no-holds barred comedy" and "absurdist masterpiece" which has got to be good enough for any theatre goer looking for something that is both fun and unusual.

It didn't exactly work out like that.

It is based on the original Lysistrata, where the women of Greece try to stop the war by denying their men sex, but any claims that this is anything substantial, subtle or innovative are unfounded.

A better description would be Carry On Greece with a big dollop of Viz.

The humour, and there is a lot of humour that draws genuine laughter, comes from the many crude references to sex. It's a one trick pony and that pony gets flogged near to death.

If I had gone expecting a romp I probably would have enjoyed it more (or, more probably, not gone) but I was lead by the references to Aristophanes' original to expect more.

To over promise and under deliver always guarantees disappointment.