Review: Double Edge’s Almost Nothing To Do With Frogs, Underbelly Cowgate (Venue 61)

Were Aristophanes around today, and into dubstep, he’d surely have a chuckle at Double Edge Drama’s cheekily irreverent take on his comedy The Frogs.

Star rating: * * *

As the title signposts, this show bears only the slightest resemblance to the original – in so far is it, too, is narrated by a chorus of frogs (albeit imagined as a rock band) and sees a bored dramatist and his sidekick (sketch comedy writers Murdoch and Bell) travel to the underworld to attempt to resurrect some legendary scribes to help give contemporary theatre a kick up the backside.

It’s an incognito Shakespeare and a puffed-up Pinter whom our heroes attempt to deliver back to life, but for reasons unclear the theatrical heavyweights wind up having a duel in rap battle and dance-off form, as bizarrely adjudicated by Alan Sugar. The teenage cast’s acting is puppyish, but the concept of the play is deliciously weird and there are a few great laughs – such as when Murdoch despairs at the RSC’s latest “ball-achingly dull” production of Richard III, or when some football-shirt-wearing louts bully the Bard of Avon by calling him “Shakes-queer”.

An original soundtrack – spanning rock, funk and, Aristophanes’ favourite, dubstep – as mimed in transition scenes by The Frogs playing white cardboard cut-out guitars keeps the action speedy and the tone good and silly.

Until 18 August. Today 2:50pm.