Lysistrata features some strikingly modern themes for a play written more than 2,400 years ago. It's the work of Aristophanes, the king of Ancient Greek comedy—but if that leads you to expect a mannered, polite, intimidatingly philosophical work, think again. Lysistrata is a wild, riotous, welcoming, highly entertaining and often obscene ride—in its sexual politics, gender relations and satire of patriarchy; in its anti-war stance; and in its experimental mash-up of genres and comedic styles.

Led by female characters, including the titular heroine, it tells the story of a woman's attempt to end the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta by organising a sex strike among the women of the Greek city states. It has been a perennial favourite for nearly two and a half millennia, and a source of inspiration for numerous other cultural works.

Now the play is set to premiere at the HKAF in a new Chinese-language adaptation, directed by Katerina Evangelatos, who recently stepped down as Artistic Director of the Athens Epidaurus Festival, one of Greece's most important cultural events, and also the director of 2025 HKAF Greek tragedy production Hippolytus. It's a HKAF partnership with the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre, with the Chinese adaptation written by the centre's Artistic Director, award-winning playwright Nick Rongjun Yu.

Evangelatos says that even though two and a half millennia has passed since the play was written, much about Lysistrata continues to resonate today, such as its depiction of a conflict-riven society and of people trying to challenge the mainstream narrative.

"While it is extremely funny at times, we must remember that it is also an anti-war play—a story about people who are exhausted, lonely and scared. It speaks directly to today's world, where societies still suffer from endless conflicts and divisions. The play makes an important point about individual strength—but also about the limits of acting alone. It shows us that true change happens only when people stand together. Collective action is what brings about deep and lasting transformation," she tells FestMag.

Yu adds: "The original story is fascinating—women using such methods to confront their predicaments, war and even issues of gender and fate. These topics remain relevant. They are eternal themes still worth exploring today."

Hong Kong also offers a very different context for presenting the play compared to Greece. In some ways, says Evangelatos, producing the play overseas provides her with opportunities she wouldn't necessarily enjoy at home.

"There is a certain freedom when working abroad. In Greece, audiences are naturally more aware of the weight of tradition and sometimes there are strong expectations about how classical texts 'should' be staged. Internationally, spectators approach these works with more curiosity and fewer preconceptions, which allows me to experiment more boldly."

Having long focused on international collaborations, Evangelatos is particularly relishing the opportunity to work with actors and creatives from China, she adds.

"Over the past few months, I have been fortunate to get to know the team and main cast, and I am genuinely excited about working on this wild, ancient comedy with such an inspired group of people. We will create a universe of music, poetry and surrealism—a world infused with both Greek and Chinese elements."

With a comedy like Lysistrata, striking that balance can be especially challenging. Humour is famously culturally specific, context-sensitive and hard to translate. However, Evangelatos says, the timeless nature of Aristophanes' play and the skill of her collaborators have made it easier in this case.

"Many of the circumstances in the play are timeless. All you need are artists with a good sense of humour, timing and skill. We have wonderful chemistry between us and I hope this will be visible on stage. The adaptation resolves issues that cannot be translated, and my collaboration with Nick Yu on the text has been extremely helpful in making the play relevant to contemporary Chinese audiences."

For Yu, who has previously translated works by literary giants including Shakespeare, Tolstoy and Charlotte Brontë, the key to creating a version of a work like Lysistrata that cuts through with a local audience is to always consider that audience's feelings.

"This isn't about pandering to the audience, but acknowledging that they are the recipients of the work," he says. "I believe all adaptations are entirely new creations, requiring a reconstruction based on breaking down the original. Understanding and respecting the original is important, but forgetting and rebuilding are even more crucial.

"Theatre creation is a team effort requiring collaboration from all sides, integrating everyone's strengths. While we don't know exactly where we'll end up, as long as the direction is compelling, the collaborative effort and the sparks we create along the way are often the greatest rewards."