Lysistrata Reloaded 

The themes of War, Love , and Peace have always been at the heart of our history and our lives. There is no era that does not offer its own original interpretation. We live in a world perpetually at odds, and we are plagued, today as in the past, by the same ills that our ancestors, the ancient Greeks, so masterfully analyzed in their works.  

Among these authors, there is one—Aristophanes—who, in his comedies, managed to weave a series of political and social reflections with the most audacious humor, creating unsurpassed comedic effects that ensured his enduring success. 

One of his masterpieces is Lysistrata, written during a time when Athens was experiencing a profound political crisis caused by the protracted Peloponnesian War. This crisis would ultimately lead to the dissolution of democratic principles and the establishment of oligarchic rule. Amidst a climate of distrust and disorientation, Lysistrata— “she who dissolves the armies”—emerges on the scene, determined to combat the madness of war and the men who wage it by calling for a sex strike, a true subversion of the established order! 

Now let’s take this plot and project it into a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future reminiscent of the visionary Mad Max film series, where a population of survivors wages war for control of water. The music of ABBA, the soundtrack of a vanished world, expresses the emotions and sets the scene for this new women’s revolt against men’s obtuseness.  

The text, which will also be enriched with contributions from other comedies by Aristophanes and modern authors who have addressed the theme of war, will become our experimental ground for developing the work with the students.  

Lysistrata Reloaded will allow theater workshop participants to engage with a comedy brimming with effects, witty lines, comedic moments, situations, and characterizations. The timeless music of ABBA will seamlessly blend into the mix, naturally translating the characters' emotions. 

We'll combine speech and acting with singing and movement to spark the students' creative potential and help them discover new and unexpected talents.  

Our course should help us live better and connect with ourselves more fully. It’s a space within the university where, through the discipline of theater, we can build an open, tolerant, and inclusive community. 

Goethe wrote, “The best way to escape the world is through art; the surest way to connect with the world is through art.” 

The theater we're about to explore will be our open window to the world. 

Ferdinando Ceriani

The theater workshop begins in November and concludes in May with the staging of a final performance. All members of the Luiss Community with an institutional relationship with the University are eligible to participate in the workshop. 

Students | Leading actors 

• Agnese Acciardi
• Agnese Anzalone
• Antonio Coppa
• Beatrice Nardi 
• Claudia Bernardi
• Donato Di Risio
• Elena Anastasi
• Elettra Sarno
• Emma Betti
• Federica Troise
• Federico Grieci
• Flavio Rossetti
• Francesca Contu
• Francesco Poli
• Francisco Leiva
• Gianluca Galdenzi
• Giorgia Fantoni
• Giorgia Laudicina
• Giorgia Verna
• Giulia Ferretti
• Jacopo Zagarrio
• Isabella Luzzi
• Laura Timperi
• Luca Micheli
• Lucrezia Marzano
• Ludovica Liotti
• Luna Alfano
• Marianna Avallone
• Maristella Schettino
• Maria Teresa Modarelli
• Marina Mozzoni
• Matteo Atticciati
• Matteo Di Pietro
• Mattia Moccia
• Miriam Fricano
• Nicole Brolpito
• Nicolò Bonaga
• Noa Ganansia
• Ottavia Dordolo
• Pietro Nardiello
• Raffaele Nicosia
• Rebecca Greene
• Simone Lucia
• Sofia Bianchi
• Sofia Canale
• Sofia Castellino
• Stefano Brighenti
• Sveva Bonura
• Virginia Liguori
• Vittorio Luccioni
• Zoe Ciulli

attivitaculturali@luiss.it
06 85225541