Steffan Harri in Shrek the Musical at the Palace Theatre, Manchester and Touring. Picture: Helen Maybanks
Shrek the Musical continues at the Palace Theatre, Manchester until 28 January 2018, then tours until 6 January 2019.
Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩
As befitting its main character’s less-than-sunny disposition, the story of Shrek’s journey from animated movie to stage musical hasn’t been a totally happy one.
Its first Broadway run had lukewarm reviews and closed after just over a year without recouping its – then – record-breaking $25 million costs.
But then subsequent touring versions, and a very successful 2011 West End transfer, have invigorated the property, striking a chord with that lucrative family audience and ensuring that it continues to yield returns despite its weaknesses. Or, other words, warts and all.
This bright, breezy and confident second UK and Ireland touring incarnation finds the franchise in fine, crowd-pleasing fettle. It undoubtedly still has faults as a musical, but the no-expense-spared staging, showcasing Tim Hatley’s sumptuous, stage-filling set, costumes and designs perfectly, and featuring a still jaw-droppingly realised dragon, won’t leave anyone feeling shortchanged.
The first half still can’t help resembling a film crow-barred into musical, with the many songs holding up or – worse – padding out the action and crowding out the story, which, even after a lot of nips and tucks along the way, squanders a lot of the wit and charm of the original 2001 DreamWorks movie.
Thankfully, it all comes together in the second half, where David Lindsay-Abaire’s book coheres into a more satisfying whole and the shear positivity and feel-good central message of acceptance sweeps you along on a crowd-pleasing high.
Much of this is due to the talented cast. Steffan Harri makes for a likeable Shrek, his winning smile and convincing Scottish brogue breaming out through the latex, adding real warmth and sweetness to the touching ‘When Words Fail’.
Call the Midwife’s Laura Main turns in a credible performance as Princess Fiona, shining in ‘I Know It’s Today’ – the closest the show has to a standout song – and hoofing admirably during the high-spirited Busby Berkeley-inspired dancing that accompanies Act II song highlight ‘Morning Person’, but overdoing the goofiness in places.
Her and Harri’s voices combine to great effect on the ‘Anything You Can Do’-like ‘I Think I Got You Beat’, climaxing in a cacophony of farts that still delights the kids in the audience.
As in all productions, it’s the comedically large but vertically challenged Lord Farquaad who steals the show from the leads, and Samuel Holmes gives a masterclass in leering, hair-twirling, high-kicking oiliness, no doubt buoyed on by tour director Nigel Harman, who originated the role in the West End to such acclaim.
But it’s a show that also gives the multi-talented supporting cast ample chance to shine. Jemma Revell delivers the requisite vocal chops as the Sugar Plum Fairy and demonstrates considerable puppetry skills by operating gingerbread man Gingy at the same time, while Lucinda Shaw raises the roof as the Fairy Godmother during the rousing ‘Freak Flag’ and by providing the voice of the Dragon.
But it’s the songs that are still Shrek’s weak spot. Jeanine Tesori and Lindsay-Abaire’s tunes remain frustratingly unmemorable, with the many nods to songs from other, better musicals – Rent, The Lion King, Wicked, Gypsy, Dreamgirls et al – only drawing attention to the issue.
And it’s still telling that the show’s most satisfying song remains ‘I’m a Believer’, the 52-year-old Monkees tune lifted from the movie that gives the show its foot-tapping, smile-inducing finale.
Chris Bartlett
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