Preview: Oi Frog & Friends! at Billingham Forum Theatre & Newcastle Northern Stage

 

Kenny Wax Family Entertainment’s  Olivier Award Nominated Stage Show Leaps Into Our Region This Spring

 

Oi Frog & Friends! 

Billingham Forum Theatre - Monday 14 & Tuesday 15 March 2022

Newcastle Northern Stage - Thursday 21 - Sunday 24 April 2022

 

Kenny Wax Family Entertainment’s hit musical production of Oi Frog & Friends! which is currently touring the UK, following its critically acclaimed West End run in 2019/20, will play the Forum Theatre in Billingham on Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 March 2022. It will return to the region when it visits Newcastle’s Northern Stage for eight shows between Thursday 21 April and Sunday 24 April

 

‘Cats sit on mats, hares sit on chairs, mules sit on stools, gophers sit on sofas and frogs sit on logs.’ 

 

It’s a new day at Sittingbottom school and FROG is looking for a place to sit, but CAT has other ideas and DOG is happy to play along. Little do any of them know that chaos is coming... who knew there were so many rhyming rules and what will happen when FROG is in charge? Join FROG, DOG and CAT live on stage in Oi Frog & Friends!, the 55-minute action-packed play with original songs, puppets, laughs and, of course,  more rhyme than you can shake a chime at! 

Nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Family Show, Oi Frog & Friends! is created for the stage by Emma Earle, Zoe Squire, Luke Bateman and Richy Hughes, bringing together Kes Gray and Jim Field’s bestselling and award-winning series of picture books Oi Frog!, Oi Dog!, Oi Cat! and Oi Duck-Billed Platypus!, published by Hachette Children’s Group, into one fun-filled musical production.  

The cast line-up for the 2021/22 UK tour is: Jake Addley as DOG (alternate CHEETAH), Rebecca Ayres as CAT (Understudy CHEETAH), Christopher Dobson as CHEETAH (alternate DOG), Emily Essery as FROG (Understudy CAT and ASM) and Sarah Palmer as FROG (Understudy CAT and ASM). 

Hailed as one of the most successful picture books of the decade with more than one million copies sold to date, author Kes Gray says of the production, “The stage show has taken the Oi characters to places I could never have imagined. The fun, the artistry and the sheer theatrical genius of this production really is something to behold!” 

Illustrator Jim Field says, “Seeing the characters brought to life from our series of Oi books was both surreal and incredible. Oi Frog & Friends! bounces along with non-stop energy, amazing puppets, funny songs, shouty rhymes, and a squirty elephant trunk. It’s brilliantly bonkers!” 

Oi Frog & Friends! is an ideal introduction to theatre and the perfect entertainment for schools, groups and families with children aged 3+.  

Running time: Approximately 55 minutes (no interval)

 

Tickets:

Performances in Billingham are on Monday 14 March (4.30pm) and Tuesday 15 March (10.30am, 1.30pm). To book, visit: https://forumtheatrebillingham.co.uk/show/oi-frog/ or call 01642 552663.  

The 8 shows in Newcastle are at Northern Stage on Thursday 21 April to Sunday 24 April, with a Relaxed performance on Friday 22 April at 10.30am – visit https://www.northernstage.co.uk/Event/oi-frog-friends or call 0191 230 5151

 

On The Web:  https://oifrogandfriendslive.com.