Frogs

This is an full and original translation by Julian Morgan of the Frogs, by Aristophanes. This version was performed on May 7th 2016 in the Aula of the European School of Karlsruhe.

The play is a masterpiece of fifth century Greek comedy, written at the end of an era when Athens was overwhelmed by the combined forces of Sparta and Persia. It is a piece of wonderful escapism, which helped to create a short respite for the doomed folk of a great city; people who knew they were facing meltdown. It is perhaps the last of the great Greek comedies, where freedom of speech was unrestricted and nobody cared which figures in public life were insulted or how.

The main character is Dionysus, god of the theatre. His quest is to go to the Underworld and bring one of the great dead poets of Athens back to life, so the city can be saved by using his advice. Along the way, he meets a range of characters, in a journey where his cowardice and ineptitude are always prominently on display. Even the gods were fair game for the comedians of Athens, it seems.

There is vulgarity in abundance here - be warned!