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The Dartmouth
July 26, 2025 | Latest Issue
The Dartmouth

A ban on sex to save the world: 'The Boycott' revamps a classic

Activist Kathryn Blume brings her one-woman adaptation of
Activist Kathryn Blume brings her one-woman adaptation of

It may seem like a familiar premise: A concerned citizen decides to mobilize the masses against a contemporary menace by launching a national sex strike. Still unsure? Here's another hint: The play is told from the perspective of one Lyssa Stratton, a first lady worried about global warming.

Indeed, in her adaptation of Aristophanes' "Lysistrata," Kathryn Blume combines activism and Greek comedy.

Although "Lysistrata" centered on the Peloponnesian war in the 5th century BC, and "The Boycott" is about global warming in the 21st century, Blume's adaptation of the classic is not forced.

"'Lysistrata' is a play that talks about taking political action -- boycotting," said classics professor Margaret Williamson. "It seems appropriate for it to be co-opted for a modern form of activism."

"The Boycott" was born out of Blume's frustration and anxiety about global warming and the public's lack of concern about the issue.

Blume, who is the co-founder of a peaceful protest initiative against the Iraq War called The Lysistrata Project, originally conceived of a film, ideally with a cast including George Clooney, that would be "hilarious and poignant and utterly magical, and launch a worldwide eco-revolution."

Of course, it wasn't easy to create such a film off the bat, so Blume has taken to the road as a solo performer. She has posted her one-woman show on YouTube in addition to performing throughout New England and as far away as St. Louis, Mo.

The play follows first lady Lyssa Stratton through her sex-strike against global warming. Along the way, Stratton is helped by a motley crew of her passionate daughter, an attractive secret service agent -- think Will Smith -- and a magical Brazilian tree frog. As Stratton continues her campaign, hilarious mishaps and encounters ensue.

"The Boycott," with its mix of social commentary and humor, should appeal to a wide audience according to Denis Rydjeski, chair of programs and outings for the Sierra Club of the Upper Valley, which is sponsoring the production. Rydjeski saw the play earlier and enjoyed it so much that he wanted to bring it to Dartmouth's campus.

"The comedy part is hilarious, but the seriousness comes through as well," Rydjeski said.

"The Boycott" and its political message are clear and engagingly presented. However, a secondary aspect is how this adaptation of a 2500-year-old play enlivens a classical art form -- Greek comedy.

The classics department, which, along with Sustainable Dartmouth, Environmental Conservation Organization and the Sierra Club of the Upper Valley, is sponsoring the performance, supported "The Boycott" in part because of the ways it would enrich curriculum.

Classics professor Hakan Tell hoped that "The Boycott" would show students in his course on Greek drama how potent the original performances of plays such as "Lysistrata" were.

"All we have left are the texts of all these plays," Tell said. "I want my students to get the sense that this was a much richer experience for the original audience."

"The Boycott" will be performed tonight in Collis Common Ground at 7 p.m. Admission is free for students.