Shrek - The Musical

It is always a pleasure to visit with Zodiac Musical Society and enjoy watching a society delivering a consistently high level of entertainment. It’s hard to believe that the performing licence for Shrek – The Musical was granted in 2018 and had originally been scheduled for 2020. With the unwelcome Covid interruption, and further periods of uncertainty, this show has been in hibernation for several years now.

Upon arrival, thanks for the reserved parking space, a cut-out of Shrek and Donkey created an unexpected photo opportunity for many children. The front of house display was a nice touch and the keyboard music added to an overall welcoming atmosphere. The fact that there was a ‘full house’ for this performance bode very well for yet another quality Zodiac production. 

Shrek the Musical is based on the Oscar-winning animation film by DreamWorks and was written by David Lindsay-Albaire with songs from Jeanine Tesori. Set in a mythical ‘Once Upon A Time’ sort of land, it is the story of a hulking green ogre who, after being mocked and feared his entire life, retreats to a lonely swamp to exist in happy isolation.  When a gang of homeless fairy-tale characters suddenly invade his sanctuary Shrek agrees to do whatever it takes to get rid of his unexpected visitors but…

Congratulations must first go to Linda Hayes who, as Director, was responsible for the overall production and its ultimate success. Shrek – The Musical was a hugely ambitious project and one that demanded extensive time and effort to both organise and manage.  Attention to detail was obvious and this can only be achieved through commitment, dedication and hours of rehearsal time. The use of rear-stage projections, instead of an actual set, was very effective and ensured the cast of 41, in a wide variety of fairytale costumes, had maximum space onstage.

The three principals (Shrek, Donkey and Fiona) had all been very well-cast and of an exceptionally high standard. They had clearly worked diligently and it was delightful to watch their characters develop and relationships blossom.

Congratulations once again to everyone at Zodiac and especially all those who took part in this long-awaited production. The end result was fabulous and the audience certainly left having been very well entertained.

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