The Frogs
What do you get if you cross Greek mythology, surrealism, contemporary political comment and the unmistakable sound of the musical god that is Stephen Sondheim? The answer is ‘The Frogs’.
Based on an original 5th Century comedy by Aristophanes, The Frogs follows the idealogical journey of half-god, half mortal Dionysos (Dan Buckley) and his sidekick slave, Xanthias (Kevin McHale). Dissatisfied with the political leaders of the day who all seem preoccupied with their own self-interest, Dionysos seeks to cross the Styx River into Hades, with the hope of bringing playwright, George Bernard Shaw back to earth. He sees Bernard Shaw as the brutally honest voice who could write a new play that speaks truth to power. What could possibly go wrong?
The duo of Buckley and McHale is great casting. It’s the typical pairing of the influential and powerful , but uptight buffoon (Dionysos) and the seemingly stupid, but oh-so-wise and easy going side-kick (Xanthias). The comic timing between them is great, and they complement each other without detracting from the other.
Other parts are played well by the traditional Greek Chorus, who McHale seems perturbed by with those subtle but hilarious ‘where did they come from?’ looks. Each member of the Chorus brings something to the comedy, but Carl Patrick needs a special mention. He plays Charon, the boatman who sails Dionysos and Xanthias across the river. Patrick is channelling his best Bez from the Happy Mondays. He gives us that Mancunian twang, slightly unhinged and unpredictable, and definitely brings the house down. He plays a housekeeper in another scene, offering a completely different and equally funny characterisation of a visually impaired person with a very pronounced whistle in his speech.
What of the frogs? Well, we know at the beginning that Dionysos is afraid of frogs, and so inevitably he encounters them along the river, nearly being swallowed up by them. The costumes at this point are off the charts, bringing us the surrealism previously mentioned. This may seem an irrelevant plot line, but they’re in the title, so what’s this about? They represent those ‘stuck-in-the-mud’ attitudes of those who want to maintain the status quo for their own gain, and preferably want to drag others into the mud (their way of thinking) with them. Given that backdrop and the political dissatisfaction of Dionysos, the musical certainly has contemporary relevance.
The original adaptation of The Frogs was written by Burt Shevelove, with lyrics and music by Sondheim in 1974. Thanks to Nathan Lane’s further adaptation, the script is as fresh now as it (hopefully) was then. The opening number, for example, instructs the audience in theatre etiquette, including the note to turn off mobile phones!
There are some clever directorial choices, which also give those contemporary nods. One particular dance scene in Hades has Judy Garland, Princess Diana and Tina Turner (who only died a couple of years ago) dancing around behind Pluto (Victoria Scone – who gives us their drag persona, with shades of Dame Edna and Liberace).
The piece is billed as a ‘laugh-a-minute’ musical comedy. It’s this comment that would attract my only criticism. There is a section in the second act which sees Bernard Shaw duelling with Shakespeare to see whose words will win out back on earth. It’s a clever passage using the words of these great wordsmiths, but given the comic element, this is where we take a very serious turn and for quite some time. The comedy is very much in the background, and, for me, it loses the comic pace.
That said, the musical is still very funny and entertaining, and worth the price of the ticket. Greek gods + Sondheim surrealism = barmy entertainment!
This show was reviewed at Southwark Playhouse Borough, London on the 27th May 2025 where it runs until the 28th June 2025. Tickets available here: The Frogs - Southwark Playhouse Borough
Review written by Ian Worsfold
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Photo credit: Pamela Raith
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