Review: SHREK THE MUSICAL, King's Theatre

Shrek the Musical is based on the 2001 Dreamworks animated film. Opening on Broadway in 2008, Shrek the Musical then ran in the West End from 2011 to 2013 and has embarked on several UK tours.

Aged just seven, as per ogre tradition young Shrek is sent away from his parents to live in a swamp. Years later as an adult, Shrek (Anthony Lawrence) enjoys the solitude and is furious when all fairytale characters are evicted from their homes in Duloc and set up camp in his swamp. The eviction was enforced by Lord Farquaad so Shrek sets off to challenge him, meeting his new best pal Donkey (Brandon Lee Sears) on the way. 

Lord Farquaad is played brilliantly by James Gillan who dials up the camp for the role. With perfect comedic timing and even more perfectly styled hair, he sets out on his mission to become King. He sets his sights on Princess Fiona, a young woman trapped in a dragon-guarded tower as his bride-to-be. When Shrek arrives in Duloc, Lord Farquaad seizes the opportunity to have Shrek rescue Princess Fiona (Joanne Clifton).

Shrek is hardly the knight in shining armour that Princess Fiona expected but they have more in common than you might think. Lawrence and Clifton work really well together and seem to be having a lot of fun with the roles.

What lets Shrek the Musical down a bit is the music. "Big Bright Beautiful World" and "Let Your Freak Flag Fly" are the only memorable original songs and the well-known "I'm A Believer" gets the best response of the night. It's a shame as there are excellent vocals from the whole cast, with special mention for Cherece Richards as the Dragon who blew everyone away. 

The lacklustre songs mean that the pacing of this show is a bit off. We go from high-energy ensemble numbers to filler songs that seem to serve little purpose. 

This is a good family show that has the production values and talent to keep the adults interested and every fart joke was met with uncontrollable giggles from the younger members of the audience. If you're a fan of the movie, it's pretty likely you're going to have a good time at Shrek the Musical. 

Photo credit: Marc Brenner

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