I read The Frogs a dozen years ago, and ever since, I have hoped to see a live production of it. When CSUB announced they would be performing it, you bet I was eager to attend.
Putting on any of the ancient Greek plays is always a challenge. The whole genre is different from our current cultural expectations, and even from older modern eras such as that of Shakespeare.
A significant percentage of the lines in a Greek play aren’t dialogue at all, but the commentary by the Chorus. The action starts and stops, and momentum is inconsistent for our taste.
That said, it is often surprising how fresh and modern other aspects of the old Greeks are. Breaking the fourth wall? Definitely. Adding a silly phrase to every serious statement? Oh yes. Slapstick? Yup.
And of course, all the things that never get old, from toilet humor to satire of politics.
I already discussed a good bit about the play in my prior post, including my favorite lines. (Which you bet I listened for.) Thus, I will mostly talk about the particularities of the production.
I am not sure which translation was used, but it sounded similar to the one I read. It was probably one of the public domain versions from the early 20th Century, I imagine.
There were things I loved about the production, and a few things I didn’t like as much. In general, it was a creative and interesting take on the drama. The various scenes were done well - I’ll talk about them more specifically below.
There really were only a few things that I wasn’t as thrilled with. The first, and indeed the main one, was that a lot of the lines felt rushed. Looking at the bios in the program, most of those involved in this production are relatively inexperienced, and I think that is probably a significant factor. Pacing takes practice, and nerves make us all talk fast (myself very much included in that!)
This led also to a feeling the lines were well memorized, but the meaning hadn’t entirely gelled, for lack of a better term. The lines were recited, not meant. This wasn’t constant, but there were a few moments here and there that felt like that. I would have preferred a slower speed, and an adjustment of the cadence to bring out the important parts of the meaning.
Again, I am going to put this down to inexperience - these are kids getting their first experiences on stage, doing a difficult Greek play. Experience matters, which is why many of my favorite local actors are well seasoned.
The final thing I want to mention is that this particular group didn’t have that one command performance that took my breath away. I am thinking of the last Greek play I saw at CSUB, Antigone, with Avery Gibson’s stunning performance in the title role. The leads were good in this one, just not at that transcendent level.
Now, about the things I really liked. Dionysus with his ludicrous Heracles costume - the stuffed lion - was perfectly attired. And Aydan Starman was quite ludicrous in the part. It was very enjoyable.
Opposite him was Jose G. Cruz Jr. as the servant, Xanthias. Then as now, the servants get the best snarky lines. His long-suffering complaints about having to carry all the stuff never gets old.
With the exception of Starman, all the other actors had to cover multiple roles (I count the chorus as multiple because of all the different costumes and characters.)
Cayelyn Smith was hilarious in parts such as the corpse (who just wants a fair wage), Charon (who expects Dionysus to row himself) and a few others.
The scene crossing the lake was my favorite. The small boat, propelled by the actors, spun and spun as the frogs drove Dionysus mad. Between the lighting, the spinning, and the increasingly truculent croaking of the frog chorus, it was most excellent. Coax coax!
The poet battle was also a highlight. It is arguably the climax of the play, two luminaries talking smack about each other’s writing. I loved the incorporation of the Chorus as fans of Aeschylus and Euripides respectively.
In fact, I appreciated the way the production centered the Chorus, making it the focal point throughout much of the play.
Kudos to CSUB for continuing to find underperformed works of art to put on the stage, rather than being content to do the same warhorses every year.
As a final thought, there are a few people listed for art and graphics, so I am not sure who to credit. But the contemplative cyclops frog used on the program and in promotional materials is excellent. I can’t say I am sure of the intended meaning, but as an eye-catching visual, it’s brilliant.
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