Oi Frog and Friends
Disclosure: We were gifted complementary tickets to Oi Frog & Friends in exchange for a review. All opinions and words are our own.
Oi Frog and Friends
We’ve been fans of the hysterical ‘Oi’ series since Em was months old. In fact Kes Gray’s ‘Oi Frog’ was one of the first books I read to him. I loved the colourful and fun illustrations by Jim Field, and the sass and attitude of Frog and Cat I could totally get on board with. Since then we have followed the rhyming antics of Frog, Cat and the not so clever dog, and “Oi Frog… Sit on a Log” is a common phrase in our household!
Em loving his Oi books by Kes Gray & Jim Field
So when Kenny Wax Entertainment announced they were bringing our favourite books to life, with Oi Frog and Friends we were ready!
Oi Frog hits The West End
Today Em, and I travelled to the Lyric Theatre, on the famous Shaftesbury Avenue to check out the stage show of these bestselling books. We had been promised “an action packed play with songs, puppets, laughs and, of course rhymes” and we are pleased to say that the show didn’t disappoint.
Oi Frog & Friends is recommended for 3 years plus. Em is 2 and a half, but as we took him to see Bing Live earlier this year, we were pretty confident that he would sit for the 55 min performance. His excitement on the train journey up, was apparent when he was telling everyone on our carriage that he was off to see Oi Frog.
We arrived 30 mins early, which gave us plenty of time to park our buggy, and go through bag searches without any stress. The Oi Shop had plenty of Oi treats including all of the books, (even the newest addition to the family, ‘Oi Puppies’), Oi Top Trumps, and Oi Magnetic Books.
Plenty to buy at the Oi Shop
Our press tickets came with an Oi Frog Flag. I added a sticker book, popcorn and some Pringles and we were show ready!! It was time to find our seats, booster seat included.
Sittingbottom School
Dressed in square academic hats and cloaks the cast got straight to it, whilst we found our seats. They kept the tiny crowd entertained, asking for names, and then Instantly coming up with a word that rhymes. We missed out, but if anyone has any ideas for what rhymes with Emerson then answers on a postcard (or just leave it in the comments).
The school bell rang. The show launched with a song that explained everything we needed to know about the rules of sitting and rhyming. For instance mules can only sit on stools, hares sit on chairs, and frogs sit on logs. Except this rebellious amphibian wants to make his own rules.
For the next 55 mins, we didn’t stop smiling and laughing. You could tell that the crowd were huge fans of the books. It was hilarious to hear the well versed parents shouting out the correct rhyming words. To think all of those hours of bedtime reading had led to that very moment.
Gnus Sit On Canoes
The brightly coloured set, with its extravagant backdrops, puppets and props looked like they had jumped out the book. The cast were incredible! I find puppeteers so mesmerising, and I am totally envious of how well they multitask. Singing, Speaking, dancing and moving puppets and props. All whilst holding the attention of a tiny crowd.
The show covered Oi Frog, Oi Cat, Oi Dog & even Oi duckbilled platypus. A personal highlight for me was the Cheetah, and his che che che song. His lunchtime fiesta had the whole place whooping and sashaying. I definitely have my eye on his shimmery costume for festival season.
The other is the gnu, sitting on a canoe, who has boars on his oars, and a pig on his wig. Following ? No? You just need to go see this madcap adventure.
- Y
Emma Earle (director), Zoe Squire (Designer), Luke Bateman (composer) and Richy Hughes (Lyricist) have excelled themselves in adapting these fun books into an hour of pure fun, silliness and rhyming mania.
Oi Frog & Friends is showing at the Lyric Theatre until 5th January, it will then be heading out to the rest of the UK so click here for more details and all the dates.
Don’t forget to let us know what rhymes with Emerson!
Sounds like a great event!