Shrek The Musical

Priory Players brought a vibrant, colourful and thoroughly entertaining production of Shrek The Musical to Ossett Town Hall, proving that fairytales really do belong on the stage. Remarkably, not even an unexpected technical issue requiring a brief restart could dampen the enthusiasm of either cast or audience on the final night. In fact, the interruption seemed only to increase the buzz in the auditorium, with everyone eager to continue the adventure. Performed on the hottest evening of the year, the commitment shown by the company was even more impressive, with performers giving their all despite heavy costumes, prosthetics and demanding choreography.

The story opened with the familiar tale of young Shrek (Sophia Longworth) being sent away from home, introducing Young Fiona (Francesca Berrelha) and Teen Fiona (Freya Harding), who all displayed confident stage presence and impressively strong singing voices, giving an early indication of the vocal quality that would continue throughout the evening. Alongside Papa Ogre (James Bradley), these opening scenes established the heart beneath the humour that runs through the show.

As Shrek retreated to his swamp, Thomas Carruthers immediately made the role his own. His characterisation remained consistent throughout, maintaining an excellent accent from beginning to end while expertly balancing Shrek's gruff exterior with moments of vulnerability, frustration, tenderness and genuine warmth. His performance allowed the audience to invest fully in the character's emotional journey.

The arrival of the fairy tale creatures, banished from Duloc, brought a welcome explosion of colour and energy. It was particularly pleasing to see such a large ensemble and youth company taking to the stage with confidence and enthusiasm. They created bustling stage pictures, sang with conviction and demonstrated that Priory Players have a wealth of developing talent that bodes extremely well for the future of the company.

No sooner had Shrek reluctantly accepted his quest than he met Donkey, played by newcomer Will Leggetter. What an introduction to the company! Will delivered a performance bursting with infectious energy, comic timing and boundless enthusiasm. His lively interpretation perfectly captured Donkey's relentless optimism and chatter, while also creating a believable friendship that developed naturally as the story progressed.

At the heart of the kingdom sat the wonderfully ridiculous Lord Farquaad, played by Scott Colliar-Grint. Performing on his knees throughout is no small feat, yet Scott embodied the diminutive tyrant with complete commitment. His exaggerated confidence, larger-than-life attitude and excellent comic delivery ensured Farquaad remained one of the evening's biggest sources of laughter.

The rescue of Princess Fiona introduced Liv Lamb, whose portrayal combined beautiful vocals with an engaging and believable characterisation. Liv remained fully in role throughout, allowing the audience to empathise with Fiona's loneliness, hopes and insecurities as her relationship with Shrek slowly blossomed. Her vocal performances were consistently impressive, bringing both power and emotion to the score.

As their friendship developed during songs including Travel Song and Who I'd Be, the chemistry between Shrek, Fiona and Donkey grew naturally, leading perfectly into one of the production's standout moments. Thomas and Liv's rendition of I Think I Got You Beat was an absolute highlight, played with wonderful comic timing that had younger members of the audience howling with laughter while still showcasing the pair's excellent vocals and genuine connection.

Meanwhile, Rebecca Newham brought plenty of attitude and personality to Dragon. It was wonderful to see Dragon realised so effectively on stage, but the icing on the cake was undoubtedly the enormous animatronic dragon operated by members of the ensemble from within the auditorium. It proved to be a spectacular piece of theatre that delighted the audience and added another memorable visual moment to the production.

The supporting principals all made valuable contributions. Jess Dickinson impressed in the contrasting roles of Gingy and Mama Ogre, switching effortlessly between comedy and warmth while making both characters memorable despite their limited stage time. Eliza Keane delivered an engaging Pinocchio, making excellent use of the famous growing nose gag, which landed well with the audience every time and added another layer of visual humour to the production.

As the story moved towards its uplifting conclusion, the company maintained its energy levels superbly. Musical numbers such as Freak Flag and the joyful finale brought the entire cast together in celebration, sending the audience home with smiles on their faces.

Behind the scenes, there was much to admire. The production made excellent use of every inch of the Ossett Town Hall stage, with scenery that allowed the action to flow smoothly from location to location. Lighting complemented each scene well, creating atmosphere without overwhelming the venue, and the technical elements worked cohesively to support the storytelling.

A special mention must go to Joel Griffin and the orchestra. It is always a pleasure to experience a live band, and here they added enormously to the atmosphere of the evening. The musical balance between pit and stage was carefully judged, allowing the orchestra to enhance rather than overpower the performers, while supporting the company's excellent vocal standards throughout.

Congratulations also go to choreographers Liv Lamb, Katie Bradshaw and Eliza Keane, whose routines made excellent use of the available space and ensured the large company remained visually engaging from start to finish.

Finally, congratulations to Director Gillian Shelton and Producer Malcolm Trigg for bringing together a production full of humour, heart and imagination. Shrek The Musical reminds us that true beauty comes from accepting ourselves and others for who we are, and Priory Players conveyed that message with sincerity, warmth and tremendous entertainment. This was a production packed with memorable performances, imaginative staging and infectious enthusiasm, leaving a lasting impression and demonstrating the strength of both the company's experienced members and its flourishing younger performers. Very well done to everyone involved.

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