Of Frogs

Sandra Fiona Long & Ria Soemardjo with Jeremy Dullard & Ron Reeves

“Magic. Touches the soul in the most poignant of ways.”

Of Frogs is a magical, playful performance which takes its audience on a journey through soaring soundscapes, stunning vocals, and intriguing shadow play, evoking the life cycles of frogs, human connection with nature and destruction.

Sitting on either side of a landscape of delicately lit water vessels and curious instruments, the audience experience in close proximity a story unfold. Three virtuosic musician-performers weave a mysterious world evoking the fragility and beauty of our ecosystems through exquisite vocals, percussion and shadow, all interacting with water.

Audiences during our premiere season at Darebin Arts Speakeasy delighted in the surprise and joy of sounds altered through immersing instruments in water, complex rhythms played on unique instruments, and surprising story telling unfolding through shadow play.

Of Frogs is inspired by the sounds and rhythms of our local waterways and the Gamelan which has strongly informed co-creator Ria Soemardjo’s artistic background through her Javanese heritage. Although not originally created for a young audience, we found through our premiere season in September 2022, that it appealed to audiences of all ages.

Of Frogs is now available for touring.

CREATIVE TEAM

Co-creator, vocalist & musician
Ria Soemardjo

Co-creator, writer & director
Sandra Fiona Long

Collaborators & Multi-instrumentalists
Ron Reeves & Jeremy Dullard

Lighting designer
Emma Lockhart-Wilson

Creative Producer
Kath Papas Productions

PRODUCTION & MEDIA TEAM

Stage manager & lighting operator
Cole McKenna

Promotion images
Darren Gill

Performance images (above)
Gregory Lorenzutti

Videographer
Coby Orger

Recording
AJ Bradford