There are some interesting avenues presented in the writing but these are never really pursued to their full potential.
It is a seemingly strange idea, one that I felt a little lost in at times. Otkas remains the only island of reality in an abstract setting. The opening monologue was perhaps the most entertaining part and was well-written; it establishes the scenario Otkas finds himself in, yet the actual details are never explained: is he inside a frog? Is everything alive? Does the frog move? It certainly croaks, with a recurring croaking playing in the background throughout. We are teased with the possibility of reality from the professor, yet this is shortly disproved.
There are some interesting avenues presented in the writing - being the last two people in this universe or being the subject of a scientific experiment - but these are never really pursued to their full potential. Any message of the piece takes a while to formulate. It is only really conveyed at the very end, but this happens with little warning or build-up. That the play does not lead up to this crescendo makes it feel somewhat out of the blue. Nevertheless, it kept me engaged and entertained and I did find myself caring about the outcomes of the characters.
The performances from Rob Taylor-Hastings and James Le Lacheur are assured, capturing a number of entertaining lines. Le Lacheur's direction is also well thought-out. The bareness of the set is useful in allowing us to keep our imagination of the abstract setting alive, without needless distractions.
Ambiguity can be central to any piece of drama; many may take away different personal messages from this particular piece. Regardless of the fact that the play’s overall thrust could be considered a little unclear, I still enjoyed being immersed in the surreal scenario of Otkas. Do hop along for some froggy fun.
