Aristophanes Frogs

A comedy with a bittersweet ending about the place of art in our lives.

Aristophanes’ “Frogs” is the first production of Fantastico Theatro, a theatre company founded by Magdalena Zira. The company’s interests are the multifaceted theatre of today as well as classical texts, whose density and complexity allows us to re-imagine them for a contemporary audience.

Athens in 405 BC faces defeat and total destruction of the democratic state. Aristophanes in “The Frogs” claims that the solution can be found only in theatre, the art form whose role is “to make citizens better people”.

Α typical Aristophanic utopia which however contains great truths about the artist’s responsibility in moments of crisis, when the foundations of our society are shaken.

Magdalena Zira and her collaborators approached this great play in full recognition of the tragic dimension that history had assigned to it (a few months later Athens lost the war; it was too late to save it) but also in full awareness of its relevance today, when the role and social importance of the artist is called into question with the excuse that there are more important and more critical issues at stake.

Translation: Vayios Liapis
Stage direction and adaptation: Magdalena Zira
Set design: Dimitris Alithinos
Costume design: Elena Katsouri
Original music: Lefteris Moumtzis
Choreography: Chloe Melidou
Live musicians on stage: Lefteris Moumtzis, Dimitris Kakavoulis, Dimitris Yiasemidis, Marianna Moutzi
Music selection and advice: Sofronis Sofroniou
Lighting design: Karolina Spyrou

Cast:
Valentinos Kokkinos
Dimitris Antoniou
Marina Vrondi
Marinos Konsolos
Michalis Sophokleous
Marcos Julius Droussiotis

The production is supported by the Telemachos Kanthos Foundation.