CHENNAI: The Frog Prince staged by Masquerade Youth Theatre at the Alliance Francaise last weekend, was perhaps not what was expected of the original bedtime fairy tale. Director Dileep Rangan, all of 19 years of age (who also plays the lead) does a wonderful job of weaving David Mamet’s version of the tale. The play features a rather rambling-yet-endearing prince, who is cursed to be a frog because he offends the sentiments of an elderly flower-seller (Mithra), who requests - though commands would better describe it - that he offer her some pretty wild flowers collected from the forest. For such a tiny person, Mithra certainly played her part, surprising the audience with a loud insistence that would have probably scared the prince.Certainly impressive were the on-stage prop boxes spreading a luminous aura of green light, representing the webbed avatar of the prince – now a frog to establish his new stature with practised leaps on all fours. This must have taken some real trying during the cast’s two-and-a-half week rehearsal period. And to set a romantic ambience at the marsh during the prince’s interaction with the kind hearted Milkmaid (Punya), there were actual prop butterflies and fresh bubbles that seemed to delicately flutter around them. Ironically, as one discovers, the Milkmaid is engaged to be married and despite his requests, does not offer him a kiss until she bids him farewell at the end. Of course, he doesn’t notice his transformation until the flower seller greets him from behind and then despite his elaborate reasoning of injustice, she once again – asks to be offered the flowers he holds in his hand.Although, compassion maybe the forerunner in the original story, perhaps the moral of this version was: Never refuse to offer a lady some flowers![email protected]
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