BWW Reviews: Hopping into Summer with THE FROG AND THE PRINCESS at Orlando Shakes

If you're looking for the perfect summertime family activity that does not involve standing in the blazing sun, then Orlando Shakes' THE FROG AND THE PRINCESS is exactly what you're looking for. This super silly show encourages giggling out loud and lots of audience participation, which young audience members will find fun and entertaining. While the story may be about a princess, young princes will also love this production.

THE FROG AND THE PRINCESS is loosely based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale and rewritten by Brandon Roberts. There is a kingdom being ruled by an "evil" stepmother. Prince Gerwyn comes to the kingdom to marry Princess Calliope. While the pair falls in love (rather quickly), Prince Gerwyn is turned into a frog by the evil step queen when he asks for Princess Calliope's hand in marriage. As a frog, Prince Gerwyn must win the love of the Princess and only then will he be turned back into a human.

The mediocre script is filled with cute puns, but works well with the cast, allowing them to use audience participation to fill in the gaps. Most of the audience participation is for the kids, which helps keep them engaged. This would be a great first show for any young audience members because it encourages giggles. You can tell that the director focused on ways to make this show accessible to kids and it works well.

The most favorite character was Henry the Porter played by Terrence Yip. Yip easily connected with the young audience and receives the most laughs out loud. Yip is a great comedic actor with some great improv skills and boundless energy. He made working directly with young volunteers look easy, which I am sure it is not. His frantic pace balanced well against the shrill Step Queen Corvidae played by Gemma Victoria. Victoria is downright scary and overdoes the evil queen laugh, but it all makes sense at the end plot twist.

Prince Gerwyn, played by Adam Reilly, is another actor with enough energy to carry the show. Prince Gerwyn is likeable because of his bravery and ability to stand up to the Step Queen's bullying. He is also charming and sincere. I wondered how Shakes would take on the transformation from human to frog. Reilly is not only a talented actor, but clearly a good multi-tasking puppeteer. Reilly complemented the sweetness of Kristin Shirilla's Princess Calliope. Shirilla is naturally sweet and a seemingly kind open-minded princess.

The set is very nice for a children's show. There is a lot of depth and a feeling of transportation even though the set is just a few pieces. Prince Gerwyn as a frog is a really cool puppet with a steampunk metal look and nothing like Kermit. It's an awesome way to let kids of all ages use their imagination.

Directed by Patrick Braillard, THE FROG AND THE PRINCESS runs now through July 26th at very family friendly times. Like many of Orlando Shakes family friendly shows, be sure to come early for some audience participation fun. For tickets and more information visit http://www.orlandoshakes.org/.

Photo credit: Tony Firriolo featuring Adam Reilly

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