The world is on fire, people are dying. There’s war and plague. And cuts to arts funding. It’ll take a bloody miracle to save humanity!
Dionysus, the god of theatre, teams up with his trusty sidekick Xanthias on an odyssey to the Underworld, hoping to resurrect a dead playwright to save the world of the living.
On the road to hell, however, they meet a colony of frogs, not only seemingly happy about the chaos above, but singing show tunes to celebrate.
It would be funny if it wasn’t so damn sad.
Adapted by Alex Kendall, this world premiere production of Aristophanes’ classic Ancient Greek comedy is given a bold, outrageously camp and hilarious new interpretation in a uniquely Australian voice.
Says Artistic Director Louise Fischer: “When Alex Kendall Robson pitched the idea to us of a new adaptation of Aristophanes’ classic comedy, we knew it was just the shot in the arm that a bleak Sydney winter would need.
“We’re thrilled to have him and his exuberant directing style back at New Theatre, previously seen in his production of Homos, or Everyone in America for us during Mardi Gras in 2024, and most recently, Ophelia Thinks Harder at KXT on Broadway.”
His team includes Set Designer Tom Bannerman, Lighting Designer Holly Nesbitt, Costume Designer Josh Carter, Sound Designer David Warner, MusicDirector Zachary Aleksander, Assistant Director Eddy O’Leary, Dramaturg Margaret Thanos, and Stage Manager Piper Hill, and the young and enthusiastic ensemble cast comprises Zachary Aleksander, Dani Bainbridge, Meg Bennetts, Axel Berecry, Max Fernandez, Sebastyen Filipinski, Pat Mandziy, Eddy O’Leary, James Robin, Nic Starte and Larissa Turton.
Says Alex: “A lifetime ago, I auditioned for my high school’s production of The Frogs. I had never been in a full-length play before. To my utter astonishment, I was cast as Dionysus; and the god of theatre and wine hasn’t left me since.
“I am a lover of history and Greek mythology, of meta-theatre and dick jokes, so this play is very me.
“Half a lifetime ago, having graduated from uni, I co-founded a theatre company with an opera-singing mate from college, and a very serious contender for our first show was going to be none other than ‘The Frogs’. I had started the adaptation — I have no idea what happened to it, or if it was any good — and I had a vision of a very operatic chorus of frogs, and Dionysus being pulled along in a cart like his very own Mardi Gras float. Instead, we went with a somehow more camp version of ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’. Regardless, adapting and directing this show has been on my mind for some time; I’ve just swapped out the opera mate for a musical theatre one instead.
“To misquote Oscar Wilde’s subtitle for ‘Earnest’: Aristophanes wrote a silly comedy for serious times. There was plague, there was war; democracy was at risk: and the playwright and his audience sought solace in a very silly play about a very gay god and his argument with frogs. I am hoping that in this instance, history repeats itself, and our audiences enjoy it too.
CREATIVE TEAM
Cast Zachary Aleksander, Dani Bainbridge, Meg Bennetts, Axel Berecry,
Max Fernandez, Sebastyen Filipinski, Pat Mandziy, Eddy O’Leary,
James Robin, Nic Starte, Larissa Turton
Director Alex Kendall Robson
Set Designer Tom Bannerman
Lighting Designer Holly Nesbitt
Costume Designer Josh Carter
Sound Designer David Warner
Music Zachary Aleksander
Assistant Director Eddy O’Leary
Dramaturg Margaret Thanos
Stage Manager Piper Hill
Photos © Bob Seary
SEASON
12 August – 6 September 2025
PERFORMANCES
Thu – Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm
Sat 6 Sep 2pm only
TICKETS
Full $37
Concessions, Groups (6+) $32
Thrifty Thursdays $25
BOOKINGS
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