SHREK The Musical

An incredible night of “Shrek the Musical” with a fantastic packed-out audience who all enjoyed a magical theatrical experience. The production at The Leeds Grand Theatre by LAOS was a triumph, delivering humour, heart and memorable musical numbers under the skilled direction of Louise Denison and Jim Lunt. Bringing the hugely successful DreamWorks Oscar-winning family favourite movie Shrek to the stage is no mean feat, but after the triumphs of their previous trip to the barricades, what better way to go than to go “BIG” and go for musical comedy. LAOS was certainly up for the challenge. After “Les Miserables (Let The People Sing)”, this was a complete contrast.

The expert eye of the director and choreographer, Louise Denison, with her attention to detail, was obvious with vibrant yet slick, pacy, polished production numbers performed to the highest standard. The dancing complemented the drama well and the characters and storytelling were quite simply pure fairytale magic.

Jim Lunt is to be congratulated for his excellent musical direction, both with the cast and with his great mix of musicians. The vocals and music in this production were outstanding.

Dazzling visuals and staging thanks to Production Stage Manager, Ian Thomson, and DSM, Louise Norbury-Hall, who together led a remarkable technical team of Dan Speight, Jasmine Lumley ; Lighting, Chris Newsome ; Follow spots, Sara Fox, Tom Whitelegg, Anthony Thacker ; Sound, Chris Edinson, Ryan Horne, Chris Beardwell, Olly Trenouth, Ben Kirby, Helen Thomson, Matt Roberts, Keith Speight, Frankie Lakin, Claire Norbury-Hall, Lynne Bigland, Alex Turner, Sophie Jones, Toby Melling, Harrison Roberts and Sam Swain.

An imposing set by Scenic Projects and stunning lighting created a bright, big, colourful world complemented by atmospheric lighting throughout which took the show to another level and sound cues perfectly timed including some very loud farts and belching which of course the audience loved. Props in the safe hands of Helen Thomson, Andy Thomson and Dan Speight, and an efficient backstage crew rose to the challenge and ensured everything ran smoothly. The incredible flying dragon, Sid, was a true spectacle and brought screams of delight from some younger members of the audience and gasps from the others who truly believed. Sid The Dragon by The FX Twins was indeed a fairytale wonder to behold.

Creating the picture perfectly, the costumes supplied by Molly Limpet’s Theatrical Emporium were absolutely fabulous in every way. Head of wardrobe Emma Shortall and her team Claire Jackson, Nichola Taberner, Jackie Bell and Beth Henderson-Clark created a kaleidoscope of colourful characters with quality prosthetics by RC Prosthetics and wigs in the care of Janet Page, with makeup by Colbie-Jai Green completing the look nicely.

Massive congratulations for the pure excellence and sheer professionalism that every department brought to this production.

A dynamic cast of principals, ensemble members and young performers totally recreated and embodied the beloved characters.

As Shrek, Luke Wilby, captured the spirit and ‘layers’ of this lonely ogre, and everyone could relate to the emotions he poured through the ugly green face, managing to shine through the prosthetics. The actor captured the ogre’s gruff exterior and tender heart with a perfect mix of comedy and vulnerability, secure accent, and stage presence; his interaction with the rest of the cast was totally authentic. His singing was brilliant, especially in ‘Big Bright Beautiful World’ and ‘Who I’d Be’, the closing number of Act One, which he sang with Donkey and Princess Fiona. This was a unique portrayal, exhibiting vulnerability and strength in just the right moments, effortlessly mastering various moods from sullen to lovestruck to triumphant. I believe that Ben Holeyman was also outstanding in the role at other performances.

Kirsty Townend was equally impressive as Princess Fiona, bringing charm, humour and a spirited determination to the role. Her strong vocals were showcased beautifully, particularly in “Morning Person” and “I Know It's Today”. She was the perfect pairing to Shrek, and their chemistry on stage made their developing relationship feel genuine and heartfelt. I especially enjoyed their rendition of the comical “I Think I Got You Beat”, with great sound cues from the tech team that were perfectly synced.

Ava Fordham/Brooke Powell as Teen and Claudia Cooper/Manasvini Rathish as young Fiona all delivered strong vocal performances in different performances, contributing to the emotional weight of “I Know It’s Today”. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for these talented youngsters.

Joey Wilby as Donkey excelled at depicting the playfulness of Donkey and was superb as the annoyingly loveable, gregarious lifeforce that is Shrek’s best and only friend. With boundless energy, impeccable comedic timing and undeniable charm, he brought Donkey to life in a way that felt fresh yet true to the beloved original. With cheeky facial expressions, quick-witted delivery and dynamic stage presence, every scene he was in was an absolute delight. Vocals were equally impressive, with standout moments in songs like “Don’t Let Me Go” and “Make a Move”. The whole audience laughed and cheered, fully invested in every word and movement. A noble steed indeed. That’ll do, Donkey.

Darren Lee Lumby delivered a mean, dastardly Lord Farquaad, spending the show on his knees and a special shout-out for maintaining the character for the bow. Darren had unwavering energy and physical comedy throughout. His comic timing and exaggerated facial expressions had the audience in stitches—I loved how he smiled through the meanness—here was a character who thoroughly enjoyed his misdeeds!  He had a forceful singing voice and coped very well with the trials of performing as a ‘vertically challenged’ character. Great diction and projection and his ability to move around the stage, get down off seats, and even mount his horse were remarkable, while keeping his costume in place to hide the secret!

Sara Jane Holland thrilled as the voice of the Dragon with stunning vocals—a superb performance.

Jack Booth and Manasvini Rathish shone as the young Shrek and Fiona and baby bear, giving confident performances, and I’m told that Ferdi Clarkson and Claudia Cooper were equally good when they appeared.

Shrek wouldn't be Shrek without the support of the fairytale characters and impressive guards. Sophie Chellam, Febi Jaimon, Giles Clarkson, Freya Poole, Forrester Hirst, Owen Wardle, Ross Tonkin, Josh Nutter, Alex Rogerson, Craig Dinnewell, Anna Staveley, Lily Harris, Morgan Handley, Lynette Leigh, Abbie Law, Maggi Steele, Nathalie Hall, Maddie Henry, Maisie Hunter, Freya Nield, and Isabelle Falkiner all created individual characters and played their parts to perfect the story.

The high-energy finale was a perfect end to a big, beautiful production, topping off a heartwarming spectacle providing great fun for the whole family, offering something for everyone to enjoy. Congratulations to everyone involved, on stage and behind the scenes, who worked tirelessly to bring this wonderful story to life. This was a production that was a testament to LAOS's reputation, but this show certainly demonstrated that the company isn't resting on their laurels and is determined, and able, to continue the high-quality productions that audiences have come to expect.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.