Shrek The Musical

Shrek The Musical, to those unfamiliar with it, is about an ogre who has spent his life isolated in a swamp, only to find his peace disrupted when a host of fairytale creatures are dumped on his land by the tyrannical Lord Farquaad. To reclaim his home, Shrek agrees to rescue Princess Fiona from a dragon‑guarded tower, accompanied by the ever‑talkative Donkey. Along the way, Shrek discovers friendship, love, and the courage to accept himself. At its heart, it is a story about belonging, identity, and the beauty of embracing what makes us different, an idea that this production leaned into with warmth and enthusiasm. Settling into our seats, we were quickly whisked away into the land of Duloc, Farquaad, fairytale misfits, and swampy solitude. The opening atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the audience were clearly excited for the journey ahead. I loved the opening sequence with the storybook and how the Ogre Family stepped through into the world of Shrek. This moment not only introduced Shrek’s backstory but also established the show’s central theme of storytelling how our beginnings shape us, and how we learn to rewrite our own narratives. The transition from illustrated book to live action was handled with creativity and humour, setting a playful tone that carried through the evening.

Urmston made full use of the stage area, with the Ogre Swamp cleverly positioned stage right. It was full of earthy textures, mossy greens, and quirky details that made it feel lived‑in. The set design team clearly understood the importance of creating a world that felt magical yet grounded, and the swamp became a strong visual anchor throughout the show. This grounded feeling contrasted nicely with the bright artificiality of Duloc later on, reinforcing the show’s theme of authenticity versus perfection.

The opening musical number, Big Bright Beautiful World, was full of energy and set the tone for the production. The ensemble delivered the number with enthusiasm, and the staging made good use of levels and movement. It was a confident start that promised a lively evening and introduced the idea that even in a world full of chaos and contradiction, beauty can be found in unexpected places. The ensemble musical numbers led beautifully by Musical Director, Ceri Graves were consistently strong throughout the show. Ceri’s musical leadership brought cohesion to the cast, ensuring that even the more complex harmonies and layered vocal lines felt unified and purposeful. Numbers such as Story of My Life and Freak Flag particularly benefited from her guidance; the ensemble sang with clarity, character, and a real sense of collective identity. You could feel the cast leaning into the themes of acceptance and belonging, and Ceri’s steady musical direction helped shape those moments into something heartfelt rather than simply loud or chaotic. Emma Bower took the role as director who was able to shape the production with a vision and a strong understanding of the show’s heart. She balanced some of the humour, the storytelling, and the emotional beats with care, ensuring that even in the larger, more chaotic moments, the characters’ journeys remained at the centre.

Taking the lead as Shrek was Mathew Rigby. His mannerisms and spoken dialogue were presented with a good, solid Scottish accent, and he carried himself with the gruff charm the role demands. The way he interacted with the others was great, particularly the moments between Shrek and Donkey, which had a natural comedic rhythm. These scenes highlighted the developing friendship at the centre of the story. However, I do have to say that I struggled at times with the sound from Shrek. Whether this was due to microphone placement or sound levels, I’m unsure, but there were moments where the dialogue became unclear or the vocals were difficult to hear. This occasionally disrupted the emotional beats of key scenes, which was a shame given the strength of Mathew’s characterisation.

Story of My Life, sung by the fairytale creatures, was lively and full of personality. Each performer brought individuality to their character, and the number captured the frustration and humour of their situation. This scene beautifully tied into the show’s theme of identity characters rejected for who they are, forced to rewrite their stories. The ensemble worked well together, though there were moments where the sound balance made it difficult to catch every line. In addition to this the sound effects used throughout the musical were sometimes unrealistic to the actual character, which occasionally made you question the characterisation and caused the flow to feel disjointed. Certain comedic sound cues felt mismatched in tone or timing, pulling focus away from the actors rather than enhancing the moment. A more consistent approach to sound design would have strengthened the overall storytelling and helped maintain the magical atmosphere.

Lord Farquaad, played by Ian Chatterton, was performed with great comedic flair. I liked his characterisation and the way he presented himself on stage, especially during his interactions with the Duloc citizens. His physicality, particularly the iconic “short‑legged” staging was entertaining, and he clearly enjoyed the role. However, I did feel that some moments could have been pushed further with more dramatic exaggeration and sharper comic timing. Farquaad is a character who thrives on theatrical excess, and leaning into that even more would have elevated the performance and sharpened the satire of artificial perfection.

Deborah Lowe as Princess Fiona brought warmth, humour, and strong vocals to the role. She captured Fiona’s fiery personality and her more vulnerable moments with equal skill. Her performance in I Know It’s Today was heartfelt, though the staging placed her quite far upstage, which meant some of the emotional nuance was lost. Still, Deborah’s commitment to the character shone through, and her chemistry with Shrek developed nicely as the show progressed, reinforcing the theme that true connection comes from honesty rather than appearances.

Donkey, played by Marcus Florin, was performed with conviction and lively characterisation. His interactions with Shrek were comical and full of energy, and he handled the physical demands of the role well. There were moments where the comedic pacing could have been tightened, but overall Florin brought charm and enthusiasm to a role that requires both stamina and personality. Rachael Mellor, playing the Dragon, had a lovely tone to her voice and sang with great power. Her vocal performance was one of the highlights of the evening. The coordination between Mellor and the puppeteers was strong, creating a cohesive character that felt both imposing and soulful.

I do have to say that Young Fiona, Annabel Clark, who also played Young Shrek and Grumpy had superb diction and vocal clarity on stage. She delivered her lines with confidence and sang with a purity of tone that stood out. Well done, Annabel.

The tap sequence in Morning Person was great and featured some impressive choreography, executed with precision and confidence. This number injected a burst of energy into the first act and showcased the ensemble’s ability to work together rhythmically and stylistically.

Although most of the production was well lit, I did feel that at points the stage lighting was either too low in intensity or positioned incorrectly, which hindered what the audience could see. Key facial expressions and important moments were occasionally lost in shadow. A more focused lighting design would have improved clarity and enhanced the emotional impact of several scenes, especially those relying on subtle character interaction.

It is always great to have staging where you can use levels and proxemics to take the audience on a magical adventure, but there were times where I felt the characters seemed too far away from the audience’s view. In moments like I Know It’s Today, the distance reduced the emotional connection, and some of the more intimate storytelling was lost. Bringing key scenes slightly closer to the audience would have strengthened the overall impact and reinforced the emotional themes of identity and self‑acceptance.

Despite these issues, the production had heart, humour, and a clear sense of fun. The cast worked hard, the ensemble numbers were lively, and the creative team showed ambition in their staging choices. With some refinements to sound, lighting, and pacing, this production could reach an even higher level. As it stands, it was an enjoyable evening full of colour, character, and the unmistakable charm of Shrek The Musical, celebrating the message that everyone deserves a place where they can be unapologetically themselves.

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