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Once upon a time, there was a remarkably successful film that depicted the unlikely friendship between an ogre and a donkey, who were bound together on a mission to rescue a princess. DreamWorks transformed William Steig’s book, Shrek, into a beloved movie celebrated for its enchanting fantasy and clever mockery of fairytale conventions. However, the essence of this adaptation is completely lost in the mire of the musical version.
All the unique and distinctive elements have been flattened and dulled into a mundane and unimaginative rehash that lacks charm and feels awkward, much like the ogre himself. The plot has been reduced to a simple journey of Shrek and Donkey walking to and from the castle to save the princess, demanded by the villainous Lord Farquaad as his bride. The cast attempts to mimic the accents from the film – Shrek’s Scottish, Princess Fiona and Donkey’s American, and Farquaad’s Received Pronunciation – but these performances pale in comparison to the original, losing their zany appeal.
Antony Lawrence portrays Shrek with the character’s cumbersome and awkward movements, but fails to capture his irritable and cantankerous nature. The inclusion of light slapstick comedy further softens his character, making him cuddly and likable. James Gillan’s portrayal of Farquaad is a stereotypical pantomime camp, lacking depth or originality.
The show is padded with lackluster scenes of characters conversing against backdrops that appear increasingly low-quality. Disappointingly, these graphics replace the grandeur of the giant flying dragon puppet, which added magic and spectacle to a single scene. Jeanine Tesori’s music is equally uninspiring, with an abundance of dreary solos about yearning and loneliness that blend together, especially considering Shrek’s limited vocal range. Most importantly, the film’s punky pop-rock soundtrack is sorely missed.
Writer David Lindsay-Abaire and directors Samuel Holmes and Nick Winston show no interest in exploring the story’s self-aware playfulness with genre. The supporting fairytale ensemble are portrayed as downtrodden misfits drowning in self-pity, losing the irony that was present in the film and turning them into mere caricatures.
This adaptation not only fails to embrace its subversive potential but also dilutes the nuanced elements of the film. Joanne Clifton’s portrayal of Fiona lacks independence and agency. Brandon Lee Sears’s Donkey, instead of transitioning from talkative to envious as Shrek falls for Fiona, becomes a semi-present onlooker, sporadically injecting energy into the scenes.
These issues are exacerbated by an excessive reliance on dance sequences to compensate. Winston’s choreography for the dancers who welcome us to Farquaad’s kingdom is commendable, with mechanical movements reminiscent of wind-up toys. However, the remaining dance routines are repetitive and monotonous, with costume changes serving as the only variation.
While the film features a memorable bonding moment over flatulence, this stage adaptation falls flat in comparison. Wherever the spark of the source material is, it remains lost in a distant land.
★★☆☆☆
Show runs until August 12, with further UK and Ireland tours until 2024. shrekuktour.com
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