It's hard to believe that the original Shrek movie is turning 25 in 2026, with it comes the recently announced fifth film in the franchise. Now seems like a great time to reintroduce the beloved characters but this production doesn't quite hit the mark.
Touring productions often can't include all of the theatrics live revolving stages and 10ft dragon that the original West End production. We can understand the cut backs but this production feels underwhelming with shortcuts.
There aren't any child actors and most of the moving scenery is replaced by projections which works really well. One of the biggest changes is having Lord Farquaad played by an actor standing up rather than on his knees. It's 2024 and it feels like the right decision but the script also takes large cuts and strange edits. The character totally changes from our favourite villain to a king instead joking about his sexuality. James Gillan does a terrific job swanning around the stage flirting with the male ensemble but it isn't Lord Farquaad. We also loose the magic mirror which is a drop of another iconic scene. The script feels more like a pantomime than a musical but it is still funny and it is still the story we all love.
The show is still dazzling in places. The set and costume deigned by Philip Whitcombe splashes all hues of green and glitter across the stage. All of the fairytale creatures are magical and the projections are really clever. The set changes including Fiona's transformations are slick, the use of screens and the production quality here is great. The Eventim Apollo however doesn't feel like the right venue for the show. Unless you sit in the front part of the stalls you feel miles away from the show. The audio loses quality in the echoing gig venue. I sat up front and still found the lyrics rather hard to interpret in places.
There are some stand-out performances from this star-studded cast. Joanne Clifton is a Fiona oozing with humour and feistiness. Todrick Hall is even better than I expected him to be, he lands every joke. Antony Lawrence is moving as the title role, with audible audience "awws" for his lonely ogre. The biggest surprise of the night came from Cherece Richard as the dragon, her vocals are phenomenal. It will be interesting to see what she does next!
Overall this production is missing some of the Shrek magic we've seen in the West End but it is still a fun watch. Children will enjoy it and I'm sure adults like me will too.
Review: Nicole Botha Photo: Pamela Raith