The Frogs at Southwark Playhouse Borough Review
Kevin McHale and Dan Buckley in The Frogs. Photo by Pamela Raith
Written by Cathie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Sondheim, Greek myths and frogs? What could possibly go wrong? At Southwark Playhouse, a bold reimagining of The Frogs has leapfrogged its way over the pond to London this May. This current iteration is the love child of Sondheim, Burt Shevelove and Nathan Lane with some modern quips and jokes thrown in. This tale is based on Aristophanes’s classical Greek comedy and is referenced in “this story is now and in Ancient Greece.” Nevertheless, Director Georgie Rankcom has approached this production with determination and sheer joy to create a fantastic musical experience.
We meet a rather laid-back Dionysus (Dan Buckley) who is on a bold quest to bring back George Bernard Shaw from the dead to give us heathens some hope and entertainment so we don’t all turn into metaphorical frogs. Supporting him is Xanthias (Kevin McHale), who is a gleefully sarcastic supporter of Dionysius and causes chaos wherever he goes. Dionysis goes to visit his brother Herakles (Joaquin Pedro Valdes) for support. He is now a hilarious gym bro but his support was profound. An absolute standout in the show was Carl Patrick as a stoned Charon the ferryman, who had the entire audience wrapped around his cigarette in laughter. Martha Pothen as an overbearing, critical Shaw was wonderful and nuanced as the Irish playwright. Bart Lampert as the Bard was also brilliant to see and did credit to remember much of Shakespeare’s speeches. Alison Driver was a caring and sweet Ariadne, and her chemistry with Dionysus was undeniable. Victoria Scone as Pluto/Hades was a joy to see on stage. The ensemble also provided much of the heavy lifting in making the audience breathless with laughter and providing the sly breaks in the fourth wall. The entire cast as the frog chorus of chaos was truly fantastically hilarious and a worthy highlight of the night.
The cast works fantastically together to make the audience writhe with laughter, and their irreverent take on the ancient myths definitely keeps us on our metaphorical toes. The fourth wall is treated as a glass interactive screen rather than a thick wall, and the numerous jokes made about both the show itself, the cast’s acting past, and the audience are comedic gems of joy. A bugbear of mine, however, is the constant switching between the Greek and Roman versions of the Gods’ names and attributes, as it consistently pulls me out of the story.
The set and costumes (Libby Todd) are truly inspired brilliance and really add to the comedic tension in a joyful way. Matt Nicholson’s choreography is beautifully sprightly and fun to watch. The themes of life has powerful value is clear, as is the importance of death and literature in understanding our world around us. It captures the spirit of the classical Greek play well and although the mash-up of authors are clear, it is a marvellous fun night out in the underworld.
At a running time of just over two hours, it does drag in tension at some points, especially in the second half, but mostly the tension is built to a satisfying end. It is a rare revival of this Sondheim musical, although not his finest hour, it is still worth watching and a mostly enjoyable night. If you enjoy Greek myths, frog-based puns and a hilarious night out, then this is the show for you.
The Frogs plays at Southwark Playhouse Borough until 28 June 2025
★★★★
