Sweaty, spine-tingling, swashbuckling swordplay. A touring troupe of comical players. High drama that poses serious questions. All that mushy love stuff.

And, of course, corsets.

Really tight, Madonna-esque corsets.

These things and more are all a part of Iowa State Theatre’s world premiere production of Barbara Field’s “Scaramouche.”

“We’re lucky that Barbara’s letting us do it,” explains director Gregg Henry.

The story takes place during a time of turmoil and deals with important issues of freedom. Opening in the present, complete with a character in a Nine Inch Nails T-shirt, the story eventually fades into the past, during the time of the French Revolution.

“They’re trying to modernize part of it,” says Luke Stoffel, senior in art performance.

Stoffel, playing a character named Phillipe who speaks out against the aristocracy, said the play draws parallels to tragedies like the Kent State incident. The themes that arise during the play are relevant to issues that are prevalent today.

Though the show is meant to be entertainment, there is a definite political presence that grows as the plot progresses, causing the audience to ponder what it will take to get the general public to participate in the decisions that govern their lives.

“Are we willing to roll over and accept a sound byte or a well-placed commercial?” Henry wonders, identifying one of the political questions posed in the play.

Those involved in the production view the essence of the story from slightly different perspectives.

Henry sees “Scaramouche” as the tale of an ordinary guy who finds his place in the world by going from lawyer to clown to swordsman to politician.

Andrew Hennebeck, who plays Chabrillane, cousin to Scaramouche’s nemesis, sees the plot as the life of an every man.

Perhaps the person who sums it up the best is Eve Himmelheber, assistant professor of music who plays a mother figure in the play.

“Young man of questionable birth discovers what he finds to be important and true in life at a time of absolute artifice,” Himmelheber explains.

With the help of the Fisher Guest Artist Fund, Henry brought in many visiting artists to help perfect Field’s play. Even the playwright of “Scaramouche” appeared on the set to watch the actors and guest artists collaborate, both giving and listening to suggestions.

Portions of the script were re-written to accommodate spontaneous improvements that actors made during rehearsal.

“That was amazing,” Hennebeck remembered.

Henry says he thinks it’s very important for students to interact with individuals who are succeeding in the field of performing arts.

“They have stories that go beyond textbooks,” Henry says.

In the tradition of Shakespeare, some of the play’s best scenes revolve around sword fights.

Guest artist Paul Steger brought danger to the show with his fight scene choreography, shredding and slashing potential audience members’ visions of a stuffy drama that lacks action.

“Hopefully, they’ll be jumping out of their seats a little more,” Hennebeck says.

Students have worked continually to improve the swordplay. The fight scenes have been developing since Labor Day, and the dedicated Steger has been commuting from Los Angeles, where he is involved with television programs such as “Ally McBeal” and “Family Law.”

Another key aspect of the production is the comedy troupe, or Commedia Dell’ Arte, directed by Malcolm Tulip. The troupe is vital to both Scaramouche’s survival and the general feeling of the production.

The comedy troupe’s costumes are vibrant and wild, attracting the attention of the audience while concealing Scaramouche from his pursuers. The somewhat somber events of the time period are lightened by the physical comedy of the troupe.

“It makes the whole thing kind of dizzy,” Henry says.

And if students aren’t excited by the sword fighting, high drama, romance or comedy in “Scaramouche,” there is one thing that should guarantee a run for the box office: the corsets.

“You’re getting lots of cleavage, which is really cool,” Himmelheber reveals.