M8 F11. A bathhouse steam room. Period Ancient Greek Athens is in the grip of a futile, destructive war with Sparta and its men are fighting abroad, taken away from their wives and families for long periods at a time. The women of Athens have had enough. At dawn, in a men’s bathhouse, leading society woman Lysistrata gathers an assembly of Athenian and Spartan women to discuss negotiating a peace treaty. Their tactics are simple: they will refuse their men sex until peace is declared. Germaine Greer and Phil Willmott’s wonderful adaptation of Aristophanes’ play treads expertly between the tremendous and the tacky ( Observer ). With Carry On characters, a cartoon-style set, raunchy dialogue and bawdy action performed to a soundtrack of Marilyn Monroe and Julie London, the serious subject of war remains prominent amid the humour in this battle of the sexes. Fast, broad, silly and profound. ( Independent on Sunday ).