Shrek: The Musical

The original DreamWorks Animation film Shrek burst onto our cinema screens over 21 years ago, before any of the Holiday Actors cast were even born! Loosely based on William Steig’s 1990 picture book, Shrek (meaning ‘terror’ or ‘fright’ in German) tells the story of a gruff green Ogre whose swamp is invaded by a group of homeless fairytale characters.  On his quest to help them return to their rightful homes he is joined by an extremely friendly and somewhat needy talking Donkey. Together they rescue a Princess from a tower guarded by a fire breathing dragon. Princess Fiona, thinking that true love will come by marrying a Prince, agrees to marry the foppish Lord Farquaad. On realising that Fiona too is an Ogre and that Shrek has fallen head over heels, Donkey plays Cupid allowing true love to win the day. It’s a story focusing both on the importance of companionship and about accepting and appreciating the differences between ourselves and others. The Shrek franchise has seen the release of four movies, a theme park ride, television specials, spin-off films and the 2008 musical version, which received 8 Tony Award nominations, winning for best costume design. After a postponed 2022 production due to Covid, Holiday Actors Shrek has returned in 2023, bigger, brighter and more beautiful.  

Director and HA alumni Tyler Hess (assisted by Rebecca Grey) has gone all out to make this a lavish, jaw dropping, joyous spectacle that ticks all the boxes of a great family musical. During the show I felt I’d been transported back to my childhood and was watching the annual pantomime my parents always took me to. This sumptuous production has been stylised to reflect the inside of an Elizabethan marionette puppet theatre, complete with marionette, shadow, hand, ventriloquist and large rod puppets. The stunning sets (designed by Tyler Hess and Lyle Russell) include a swamp, castle, dragon’s lair and forest amongst others.  Set pieces include a two storey castle tower, a giant magic mirror complete with hologram face, a massive dragon's head with wings and tail (brought to life by numerous puppeteers), a large rideable wooden horse, a giant spider and an exploding bird to name a few! So much loving care has been put into the design and conception by the Set Construction, Painting and Dressing teams.  The exquisitely designed proscenium arch gave the feeling of sitting in an old English Music Hall. Warm palettes mostly of green, blue and red colour were used by lighting designers Tyler Hess and Robert Foard to great effect throughout the plethora of scene changes.  Kudos to the backstage crew on such quick and smooth scene changes. The outstanding soundscape managed by Adam Borthwick and Cameron Arms is well balanced, allowing all dialogue to be heard clearly. Sound effects such as Shrek’s roar, the dragon’s growl, the chittering of animals, and the hilarious burps and farts of Shrek and Fiona were perfectly timed.

Laura Vallence (assisted by Holly Allgood) has done exceedingly well in her first foray as choreographer. This is a big show, with a big cast and with a relatively small stage to play on. The routines were creative, fun and well spaced. Particularly notable was the Pied Piper and mice dance (performed by Nicky McKenzie) which enthralled the audience. Costume Manager Jane Phipps along with her assistants have worked tirelessly, creating individualised costumes for almost every cast member plus the numerous ensemble numbers requiring matching outfits. Hair and Makeup Manager Anna Borthwick and her team succeeded in bringing the cast of fairytale characters to life, each with their own specialised wigs and makeup.

The quality of the singing in Shrek is due in part to Vocal Director Brooke Chambers patient and nurturing spirit, bringing out the best in each performer.  The members of the 15 piece orchestra (under the capable baton of Musical Director Sophia MacRae) are to be congratulated on a job well done. Being offstage, the audience could’ve been forgiven in thinking this was a backing track, due to the high level of musicianship.  

Taine De Manser’s portrayal of Shrek was outstanding!  It’s a tough gig having to wear a prosthetic head, green makeup and an oversized costume whilst speaking and singing in a Scottish accent for over 2 hours each performance!  Taine plays Shrek as a three-dimensional character that shows real feelings that the audience can relate to. The ballad ‘When Words Fail’ was full of charm and sensitivity, whilst ‘Build A Wall’ was sung with spirit and grit. Caitlin Garner, as Princess Fiona is a breath of fresh air, as she oozes both tenacity and vulnerability mixed with an over caffeinated, girl next door sweetness. Caitlin’s showstopper ‘I Know It’s Today’, performed with Iesha Kenna (young Fiona) and Arwen Bounds (teen Fiona) was both heartfelt and a little whimsical. ‘Morning Person’ showed off Caitlin’s impressive vocal range and power whilst ‘I Think I Got You Beat’ sung with Shrek brought out their goofy sides and brilliant comedic timing. Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Award winner Kaitlyn Gust, is perfectly cast as Shrek’s side kick and best friend, Donkey.  Her cockney accent was a nice surprise, fitting in well with the English theatre vibe. ‘Don’t Let Me Go’ and ‘Travel Song’ showed what a seasoned performer Kaitlyn is. Her donkey-like facial and body gestures are side-splitting and quirky!  Amelia Finnigan gave a soulful, powerhouse performance of ‘Forever’ in her role as the love starved Dragon. Ash Rogers-Brigden played Pinocchio with sparkle and vigour.  Zach Jervies as Gingy played his feisty character with pluck and resolution. Elliot Cooper’s velvety vocals (as Papa Ogre) and Amy Hughes (as Mama Ogre) rendition of ‘Big Bright Beautiful World’ was heart wrenching and a little disturbing. The Three Troll Dolls, as narrators, backing vocalists and specialist dancers’ shoes were filled by the extremely talented Amelie Gleeson, Holly Allgood and Zoe Borthwick.  And lastly, my favourite character and performer of this production, Harry Price as Lord Farquaad. Whether it’s the allure of him only being a 4-foot-tall character in a 2 metre tall body, wearing outrageous costumes, funny one liners or his incredible singing voice, Harry Price had the audience hanging off his every word.  His rendition of ‘What’s Up, Duloc?’ was a hilarious riot, whilst his act two number ‘The Ballad Of Farquaad’ had us feeling empathy for him because of his unhappy childhood. Harry’s songs were two of the most difficult in the show and his handling of many extremely long and high range notes was very impressive.  Harry’s performance is phenomenal to say the least!