Beane is guilty of the latter. He's updated the setting, given the action decadent fascist overtones, hardened the attitudes and physical appearance of the women so that they seem as unfeeling as the men, pumped up the violence, padded on texts to give the story epic proportions, and underscored the action with jazz, blues, rock and mini-production numbers built on the likes of "16 Tons" and "Walk on the Wild Side."

There's no point in trying to follow the action. There really isn't any. It's all come-on and mood. Even though it's fair game to use a play as merely a starting point for an adaptation, it's painfully clear that Aristophanes' simple, accessible, easy-to-understand situational comedy is not the right foundation for the "deep" work Beane seems to have in mind.

But Beane has a solid, visual sense and his work is never boring. He knows how to liven up a stage. He gets some first-rate performances from his 12-member cast, particularly Sean Critchfield in the role of a sometimes very confused general. And the three-member band (Matt Bennett, John Celentano and Robert Wingfield) gives the musical sequences needed dramatic power.

Insurgo is new to Vegas, and Beane is ripe with passion and ideas. I suspect intriguing things ahead.

Anthony Del Valle can be reached at DelValle@aol.com. You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.