Aristophanes' words and ideas proved to be relevant in today's society in Bailiwick Theater's performance of "The Acharnians." According to the program, this performance of the "The Acharnians" is about one man's private peace during the compassionately conservative bombing campaign on Canada, the adventures that befell him thereafter, and what Jesus and the Tooth fairy had to say about it all. Based on this description, one might think that this play does not even resemble the original play that Aristophanes had intended to be performed. I too, expected it to be more true to the classic poise and rhetoric and was a little wary when the actors entered wearing tie-dye shirts and overalls. Upon closer examination and consideration, I realized however that this adaptation is quite similar to the original script. Many parallels and comparisons can be made between modern times and classical times. The crew claims to have done little in adapting the script but change the names of gods, wars, and government officials, but some of the basic plot and ideas were altered a bit also.
             Dicaeopolis, like that of his counterpart in the original version of this play, is a farmer who wants peace. His goal goes beyond that, however. He is depicted as an extremely liberal and radical environmentalist who is more concerned with the preservation of the environment and resistance to conformity than he is concerned with peace. He is against genetically engineered food, oppression of speech, and conformity to society's ideals. These ideals are the characteristics of a white, middle class, Christian, heterosexual male with 2.3 children, one dog, and one cat. His resistance to conformity might in fact be a parallel to resistance to urban life and longing to return to rural way of life though.
             In this adaptation, the Peloponnesian War with Sparta is instead a bombing campaign against Canada. Canada was probably chosen for its proximity to the United State...