Shrek The Musical

What a fantastic way to spend a Wednesday afternoon. Shrek, well known for both the animated film and the stage production, always provides great entertainment. Opening with the fabulous "Big Bright Beautiful World", this set the scene and high standard for the rest of the afternoon. At the performance I attended, two ensemble members had to step in at the last minute due to illness. Rebecca Simpson covered for Megan Kilpatrick as Mama Ogre and did an excellent job. The other role that required cover was the Dragon, played by Neve Crooks, who delivered an amazing performance despite never having rehearsed the role. Neve was covering for Reece Cavanagh. Credit must go to both cast members for their outstanding performances. Marc McMillan, who played Shrek, gave a performance of a very high standard, with fantastic vocals and acting, and brought a real level of command to the stage. Graeme Reid-Wallace was excellent as the Donkey with great comic timing. Callum Grier brought a very entertaining performance in the role of Lord Farquaad and his ability to get around on his knees was excellent. All three Fionas gave excellent performances, and I had the pleasure of seeing Niamh Lee as Young Fiona and Freya Lee as Teen Fiona. Marina Kelman delivered an outstanding performance as Princess Fiona, showcasing exceptional acting and vocal abilities. I also saw a great performance from Blair McKinley as Young Shrek. Added to the excellent line up of principals were Jennifer Park as Gingy/Sugar Plum Fairy and Eve Thomson as Pinocchio. In Shrek there are many supporting roles and fairy tale characters and I’d like to give a special mention to every one of them who worked hard in maintaining their characters and adding a very high standard to the overall storytelling.  

Costumes for this production were outstanding and along with excellent wigs and make up made for quite a visual spectacle. This included the dragon. The set was excellent, and I particularly liked the lighting throughout the entire production. Overall, this was an excellent production bringing fun and pleasure to the audiences. The music, direction and choreography were of a very high standard, and the production team should be congratulated on their work on this show. 

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