Frogman

With a solid gripping story that is not too long,  and finely tuned treatment and operation of Virtual Reality, Frogman is excellent festival fare.

It is based on a short, compelling story of the demise of a young girl, Ashleigh Richardson, played by Milla Web.  It is told through the experience of her, perhaps, only friend Meera Clarke played by Georgina Strawson.  This is done live through the prism of an interview more than a decade after the event. The show is made up of this live aspect, along with filmic Virtual Reality enactments of what was happening at the time of Ashleigh’s disappearance. 

Actress Ms. Clarke conveys the emotional depth of her character’s experience of losing a friend, in ambiguous circumstances, in a very raw, natural and convincing way. She channels emotion with considerable skill.

Much of the experience for the audience is in Virtual Reality. During this we sit amongst the three kids chatting and mucking around and particularly talking about one of their great loves - coral from the Barrier Reef.  Young Meera is played by Ava Ryan, Lily McCullen by Indiah Morris and Shaun Jacobs by Sol Costanho.  These young actors appealingly enact several telling and guileless interludes in a fairly comfortable laconic fashion.  Then on a number of occasions we are plunged into the bottom of the sea on diving expeditions with a police Frogman to recover the missing body.  Finally we are made privy to the friendship between Meera and the more capricious Ashleigh.

The story is a pretty heavy murder mystery that, if the truth had been known, could have had shocking implications for the small community and most particularly the young Meera.  It is described as a coming of age story, which has me wondering what age group I would suggest it for.  I guess it is really a work for young adults and older.  I would suggest fourteen years and older.

I’m not used to being able to see my feet and perhaps find that the weirdest thing about being enclosed in a virtual reality headset.  I found that I did have to resist reaching out to touch and was amazed at how much I had twisted and turned in my seat.

A satisfying work.

Suzanne Sandow

Photographer: Richard Lakos

Credits

Live Cast:  Meera Clarke – Georgina Strawson

VR Cast

Young Meera Clarke - Ava Ryan

Lily McCullen             - Indiah Morris

Shaun Jacobs             - Sol Costanho

Ashleigh Richardson – Milla Web

Story                           - Jack Lowe and Russell Woodhead

Direction

and Cinematography – Jack Lowe

Design                        - Camilla Clarke

Sound                         - Pete Malkin

Composition               - Tamsin Withers