Click here if you liked this article 8
https://newtheatre.org.au/the-frogs-in-hell-they-sing-show-tunes/
Date Reviewed: 15/08/2025
Going to hell in a handbasket has never been as infectious and outrageous as this show. With its irreverent humour and satire, this adaptation will leave you wanting more.
Dionysus, God of theatre, wine, madness, and orgies, dressed in faux fur, plays his part to perfection. He doesn’t miss a beat, along with his enslaved, poor, suffering, but sharp-witted Xanthias.
Xanthias has a charm that resonates with the audience members; part of his three bags of luggage consists of a rubber chicken, and bags loaded with toilet humour.
He is the 'ying' to Dionysus 'yang'.
Whilst you might expect Dionysus to be a heroic figure as depicted throughout history, he is in fact, timid, scared, and a far cry from what you have envisioned over the years.
Xanthias, on the other hand, is a foil for Dionysus...even trading places with Dionysus, resulting in a chaotic, hilarious partnership that is masterful in adaptation.
Dionysus and Xanthias are on a trip to the underworld, to Hades. Dionysus consults his dim-witted half-brother Hercules, wanting to get to the underworld on the quickest road. Dionysus is searching for a playwright hoping to bring Euripides back from the dead and present it to the living... along the way, they come across the frogs, these frogs are oblivious to life above... or are they? They sing show tunes to stay positive.
The frogs, played by the cast, are ribbit-ing.
It was painful to watch, but at the same time, I was curious...what is coming next?
Dionysus, with his outlandish, erratic performance, had the audience in the palm of his hands.
With a strong contemporary positive message and exceptional comedic timing...this show not only was well staged, it was also thoughtfully directed, whilst the show was hilarious, it also gave room for thought.
This was my first experience seeing a show like this but the curiosity in me and the passionate enthusiasm performed by the cast made me want to come along for the ride too.
In conclusion, the show opened my eyes, opened my soul, and kept me interested.
As the energy of the performers sparked my imagination to such a point, I wanted to see more.
They teased us in the end, as our inquisitive nature did not want this to end.
Would I recommend it...'hell' yes, because if you're chirping in your seat... 'the frogs' have gotten to you.
Written by Genna