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Wine time: The Frogs - Southwark Playhouse

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For a show called The Frogs, there isn’t much amphibian activity in the piece. But being a show with music by Stephen Sondheim, you could be mistaken for thinking it’s a critical theatrical piece. But like Sondheim’s final musical playing at the National Theatre, while it may not be a musical that fills you with provocative thoughts, it’s a fast-paced romp through hell and back to save the world for the sake of arts. With rousing choruses, thrilling choreography and plenty of cheap laughs, what more can you want from the theatre? It’s currently playing at the Southwark Playhouse (Borough) . There isn’t much to the plot, except that Dionysus (Dan Buckley), disillusioned by the state of a divided world, and his sidekick and slave, Xanthias (Kevin McHale), cross the river Styx to the underworld to find a great writer who they can return to the world to teach the world about life. He has his mind set on bringing back George Bernard Shaw until he hears the poetry of Shakespeare.  This v...

Don't forget to vote: Also Recognised Awards close Friday

Now that the Oliviers are out of the way, Friday is the last day people have to vote in the Also Recognised Awards, set up by the exciting new London theatre resource, My Theatre Mates run by Mark Shenton and Terri Paddock.

The Also Recognised Awards celebrate lesser-known but equally worthy talent in fields overlooked by other awards.

They comprise ten categories including an award for musical direction, which is the the first award of its kind, and recognises how the contribution of musical direction can really set the tone of a show.


Other awards include

  • Best ensemble performance
  • Best solo performance
  • Best original music
  • London newcomer of the year
  • Theatre event of the year
  • Best show poster
  • Best show trailer
  • Best twitter engagement

Voting for this year's award winners can be made online at the My Theatre Mates site.

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Opera and full frontal nudity: Rigoletto

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Play ball: Damn Yankees @LandorTheatre

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