The Frogs, now at Lincoln Center, billed as "A New Musical," is only about 2400 years old. Based on the play by Aristophanes, adapted by Burt Shevelove, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and re-adapted by Nathan Lane, the show is the broadest of farces, dripping with imagination, sparkle and laughs. It's not a great work, but Susan Stroman has directed and choreographed this mixture of Greek myth, contemporary political commentary, and absurdity with brilliance, imagination and flair. With Nathan Lane, possibly the greatest cavorter of our time, cavorting as the lead Dionysos, aided and abetted by the wonderful farceurs Roger Bart, Peter Bartlett, John Byner and a cast of dancing frogs (a choreographic masterpiece), nymphs, rope dancers, gymnasts, Stroman gives us a spectacular, mostly entertaining extravaganza. Ingenious set by Giles Cadle, great costumes by William Ivey Long and perfect lighting by Kenneth Posner all add to the flavorful mix Stroman has created.
A small "however": for some unfathomable reason, the authors veer from farce in a short section of Act 2 to give us a useless, boring argument between Shakespeare and G.B. Shaw. One comparison would have been enough; they give us four. It's an intellectual argument that feels like it's from another play. When they get back to farce, the jokes and the fun, the basic high level entertainment of the show, resumes.
Previews:
June 17, 2004
Opened:
July 22, 2004
Ended:
October 10, 2004
Country:
USA
State:
New York
City:
New York
Company/Producers:
Lincoln Center Theater
Theater Type:
Broadway
Theater:
Lincoln Center - Vivian Beaumont Theater
Theater Address:
150 West 65th Street
Running Time:
2 hrs, 30 min
Genre:
Musical
Review:
Parental:
adult themes
Cast:
Nathan Lane, John Byner, Peter Bartlett
Technical:
Set: Giles Cadle; Costumes: William Ivey Long; Light: Kenneth Posner
Critic:
Richmond Shepard
Date Reviewed:
August 2004
