Black Friars presents Aristophanes' The Frogs

With Athens racked by civil war and lacking leaders worthy of the name, Dionysus (god of… all things fun really) looks for answers in the most unlikely places.

He needs a poet. A rhymer. A rapper. Sort of an oldest-school Snoop Dog minus the cussin'. Why? "What do you want a poet for?" "To save the city of course!" A wise plan, this. But unfortunately, all the good poets are dead so in true Heraclean from, Dionysus goes down, down, down – all the way to Hades (and he's quite prepared to trawl even deeper if he has to).

With just five actors and two choruses – sponsored by our very own choregus (Creative NZ) – join the Black Friars for a hilarious romp through the underworld. This is rich, riotious and risible: this is as close to attic-old comedy as we Polynesians can get. Who are the Black Friars? "We're a group of first-generation New Zealand-born Pacific Islanders from the Southside. In 2007 we were given the title 'Best Festival Newcomers' at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival and later gained honourable mention in North & South magazine's 'New Zealander of the Year' Awards.

In 2008 we were nominated for the 'Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Award for Best Emerging Artist' and appointed ambassadors for the Ministry of Youth Justice. Hot on the heels of last year's sell-out smash Othello – Polynesia, the Friars bring another classic to life on the stage. Schools' matinees will be followed by a forum with the cast. One teacher free with every 10 students.

Event listed by HawkinsTheatre

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