(Kim
Kandan & Chanel
Meager)
I have to admit that frogs and I are not
compatible so I headed for Catalina Theatre and Sandy Bigara’s latest
production, The Princess and the Frog,
with a slight sense of trepidation.
I needn’t have worried. Kim Kandan’s Frog
endeared himself to me immediately. Maybe it was because his costume wasn’t too
froglike or slimy – just a fun head with big eyes. After all, he is really the
Prince Shamrock of Persian Green who has been put under a spell which can only
be broken if he can persuade a princess to let him eat at her table and sleep
on her pillow for three days and three nights.
Ten years earlier, the Frog encounters
Princess Applegreen of Dartmouth Castle in her garden and she promises to
fulfil his wish. However, she reneges on this. When we pick up the story, she has
become a spoilt and bad-tempered young lady, a bully to her maid Pistachio and a
real trial to her mother, Queen Olivegreen.
Chanel Meager gives a feisty portrayal of
this princess who is forced by her mother to honour her promise and agree to
the frog’s three-day/night request. Through this process, she eventually learns
to become a better person and to trust friendship and love.
As the long-suffering Queen, Musa Ntuli gains
our sympathy as does Noluthando Kubeka as the maid. However, they really come
into their own as the two Goblins: the villainous Lord Viridian and his
sidekick Chartreuse.
By now you will have noticed that “green”
plays a strong role. This is where the Irish influence comes in, especially in
the music which includes a lovely Gaelic song early in the show. It also
features music that has only just been released in the United States and Bigara
was given permission to be the first to release it in South Africa.
Immediately endearing themselves to the
audience are Bigara’s two children: Savanna (7) who plays the
young Princess as well as the precious Humming Bird that the Goblins have
trapped while Kelsey (5) plays the Emerald Fairy’s daughter.
Sinazo Ngcengula brings a sense of delicacy
and delight to the all-too-brief role of the Emerald Fairy and Demmi Meek
provides a charming balletic interlude.
Bigara has adapted The Grimm’s Tale, Der Froschkönig , published in 1812, and
infused it with fairy fun which will appeal to both parents and children. The
stage is transformed into a magical garden with lots of shiny things to delight
youngsters and the costumes are lightweight and fairy-like, with some
innovative touches.
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 –
Caroline Smart
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