(Chanel Meager)
Sandy Bigara’s fresh new staging of this famous Grimm’s fable
is set to enchant audiences, both young and young-at-heart, at Durban’s popular
Catalina Theatre on Wilson’s Wharf this festive season.
With over 20 productions under her belt, local performing
artist and director Sandy Bigara, has a reputation for creating laugh-out-loud
scripts (Animal Tails I & II,
Rapunzel, Just Yours). The Princess
& The Frog will entertain not only the smallest members of each family;
but parents and older siblings as well. Based on The Grimm’s Tale, Der Froschkönig , published in 1812,
Bigara has adapted the original story, peppering it with laughs, live song
performance, dancing, actions and drama.
True to the tale, Princess Applegreen (said Applegrin) is a
spoiled - rotten princess, selfish to the core. She breaks her promises and
only wants what she wants. Throughout the play she learns to share, to care,
and to honour her own words and be truthful. The frog is also selfish and a
little greedy. He is only concerned with breaking the curse placed on him by
Asparagus the Crone. By the time the Princess kisses him, he has learned to
share, to care, and to honour his own words and be truthful.
The Frog and the Princess follow a similar learning path
with the help of the audience. Look out for the new addition to the tale: a dastardly
villain who only has one thing on his mind ... the Princess's golden ball.
Heading the line-up of young performers are Chanel Meager as
Princess Applegreen of Dartmouth Castle and Kim Kandan as the Frog, alias
Prince Shamrock of Persian Green. The talented cast also features: Musa Ntuli
who doubles as Queen Olivegreen of Dartmouth Castle and the villainous Lord
Viridian; Noluthando Kubeka as Pistachio the Maid, doubling as Chartreuse, the
villain’s sidekick and Sinazo Ngcengula is the Emerald Fairy. Gifted young
Savanna Bigara (7) plays the Young Princess Applegreen and Fern the Young Maid,
and 5-year-old Kelsey Bigara is Minty the cat, Princess Applegreen’s pet. Sandy
Bigara appears as the Story Teller and Minstrel.
Add-on attractions include prize give-aways, dance- and singalongs
and a photo opportunity on stage at the end of each performance.
The Princess and The
Frog runs from December 1 to January 10 with performances daily at 14h30. Tickets
R100 (R80 for children) with special school bookings between December 1 and 10 available
at R60 pp. Booking is through Computicket at Shopright Checkers outlets, on
0861 915 8000, or online at www.computicket.com
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