Dive right in

Meanwhile Theatre Company present Mick Martin’s Frog Man, a physical piece of blackly comic theatre that premiered at the Fringe two years ago.

Kenny, a police frogman (Andrew Warnock) and Kelly, his beautiful stay at home wife (Ruth Herbert), are childhood sweethearts, seemingly living in perfect suburban bliss at 46 Sunnybrook Meadow, with their sensible 4x4 and fabulous fun hot tub. But we soon realise that Kenny and Kerry are not all they seem, and are bound together by dark secrets.

The action looks back from suburbia to their childhood meeting, with Tim Richey playing both Adrian, the misfit boy who worships Kenny and desperately wants to be friends, and their neighbour in Sunnybrook Grove, Malcolm. Richey’s ability to transform from a disadvantaged child to disillusioned adult is incredible. Warnock is compelling; he has great stage presence and amazing physicality, which is particularly showcased towards the end of the piece. Herbert is convincing, and there’s a double set of acting going on, not just to us, but also to Kenny.

The play is both archly funny and achingly dark. What happened to Kenny and Kerry as children is shaping their lives today, with things taking an unexpected turn, which ends up binding them together once more.

The direction and staging work extremely well. An underwater world is created with lighting and sounds, and the projection of a policeman towering over a young Kelly illustrates the feeling of threat that has been building. The sound, and choice of dancing songs, has been pitched just right.

Overall this is a skilful production by a cast who know their material well, and is highly recommended. After all, what other show have you seen advertised this year that promises covert dance lessons, fake illnesses and full blown amphibious metamorphosis?

[Kathryn Mack]