By Hannah Thomas
Shrek takes off in a blast of song and dance
Following a low-key opening, in which the young ogre, Shrek, is sent by his parents to seek his fortune in the big wide world, this family show takes off in a colourful blast of song and dance.
A now grown-up Shrek, played by theatre legend Antony Lawrence, finds his beloved swamp over-run by fairytale characters, banished from their home by the evil Lord Farquaad (James Gillan). They’re all there – Pinocchio, the Three Little Pigs, the Three Bears, Peter Pan and even the Big Bad Wolf. They persuade Shrek to face up to Farquaad, so off he goes, with his fast-talking, charismatic side-kick, Donkey (Brandon Lee Sears).
Meanwhile, Farquaad wants to marry a princess to secure his position as king. He has heard of one such princess, Fiona. There’s a hitch, though – Fiona lives in a tall tower guarded by a fierce dragon. Is Farquaad going to fight the dragon for Fiona’s hand? Not on your nelly! But along comes Shrek, and the cowardly Farquaad offers him the deeds to the swamp in return for rescuing Fiona.
Shrek, with his powerful voice and lumbering gait, is a commanding presence, with his revolting personal habits – as befitting an ogre – raising laughs from the audience. But there’s a sensitive side to him, and it becomes clear he’s lonely and would like nothing more than to meet his soulmate.
Enter Fiona, played by Joanne Clifton, of Strictly Come Dancing fame, who has a super voice, as well as her expert dance moves. Fiona is full of fun and energy, with hints of a comedic Calamity Jane. She’s fed up too, living alone in the tower, ready for adventure and desperate for a knight in shining armour to whisk her away.
The ensuing rescue sequence is superb, and one of the many highlights of the show. Cherece Richards is sensational as the dragon, in a glittery, pink jumpsuit, accompanied by a giant red dragon puppet, which swoops across the stage.
Appearances can be deceiving, and Fiona is not quite who she seems to be. There are more twists and turns, with a series of toe-tapping numbers leading to a finale befitting of a fairy tale.
Throughout the show, the ensemble pieces are fantastic. There are dance sequences to rival Strictly, complete with flicks and tricks, which particularly impressed my 13-year-old daughter. There are terrific voices, with not a dud among them, and the dazzling costumes also deserve a shout-out, adding to the spectacle.
At the end of the show, the audience were all on their feet, in celebration of this feel-good adventure, for fairytale fans of all ages.
Photos by Marc Brenner
Shrek the Musical is on until 25 November at Wales Millennium Centre – get tickets here
More information on the show and touring dates are here