Shrek: the Musical | Stage Review
****
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. Until Sun 22 Apr
I can’t say I’m usually a fan of musicals, but I am a fan of Shrek: who doesn’t love a rehashed fairy tale where true love certainly isn’t skin deep and an ogre marries a princess who is, handily enough, also an ogre after sunset? It was therefore with a mix of excitement and some trepidation that this reviewer took on Shrek: The Musical at the WMC.
However, from the start, it was completely enthralling. The part of Shrek was covered in this instance by Michael Carolan (usually playing the Wolf and Thelonius), who was outstanding in the eponymous role. In fact, all of the cast really seemed to enjoy themselves and this energy was reflected in the performance. The production was seamless: the choreography was spot on, acrobatic tricks were fluid and even when the curtain snagged in the stained-glass window at the end, Lord Farquaad managed to drag it off without fuss as he fell to his doom.
Samuel Holmes was indeed a highlight: having spent the entire evening crawling on his knees as Lord Farquaad, he still managed to command a fabulous stage presence despite his apparent diminutive stature. He had an almost balletic way of handling the tiny false legs attached to his knees: whenever he had to stand up a little bit, he moved in such a well-rehearsed way that it seemed like the little yellow-legging-clad legs moved on their own. He also managed to keep the balance of adult and child humour in check but his moments of being risqué were thoroughly enjoyable.
The musical kept very much to the original film. The songs were annoyingly catchy and even this curmudgeon couldn’t help smiling inadvertently at the antics of the colourful characters coming out with some toe-tapping tunes. There were also enough new additions and a few topical references to make the musical slightly different from the film but not adversely so.
The set designs were fabulous and there was an excellent use of lighting and computer graphics, which usually look a bit naff, but were put to good use here. From the opening of the musical with a giant storybook which made use of graphics and live action with the characters thrusting their heads though the pages, the computer image backdrop of Fiona’s castle, to the more conventional physical set elements of the castle at Duloc, every aspect was well-considered and enhanced the action on the stage.
The show caters to all and there was even a standing ovation at the end which was thoroughly deserved. If you enjoyed the film, you won’t be disappointed. If for some reason you haven’t seen the film, still go because it’s a wonderful, uplifting night out. Five stars.
words LUCY MENON
photo SARAH
Tickets: from £19. Info: http://www.wmc.org.uk/