Shrek is the first in a series of in-depth articles about new productions coming to the West End in 2011. Shrek started out as a Dreamworks film, of course. Sam Mendes was instrumental in helping to turn the first film into a musical. The transition from cartoon to the live stage has not always been easy and there have been problems along the way. The musical’s main claim to fame, until the recent problems with Spiderman, was that it was the most expensive Broadway show (the production cost 25 million dollars!) and it failed to make back its investment in a year. The show ran for 441 performances on Broadway until January this year and then went on a US tour. The new, revised and re-staged London version of Shrek-the-Musical® is starting previews at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on May 6, 2011, with an official opening night set for June 14 London Cast of Shrek-the-Musical® Confirmed cast members include:
Nigel Lindsay as Shrek, Amanda Holden as Princess Fiona, Nigel Harman as Lord Farquaad Richard Blackwood as Donkey. Liam Tamne as Pinocchio Nadine Higgin as the Dragon
The story of Shrek Shrek-the-Musical®, like all of the Shrek films, was inspired by a children’s picture book, Shrek! by William Steig. That original story is a picture book and is only 29 pages. It tells the tale of the green ogre, Shrek, as he searches for and eventually finds a ‘stunningly ugly’ princess. Although it became a much loved children’s book the bare story has none of the ‘smart’ humour we know from the films. The musical has re-worked the story again. Much of the humour and some of the jokes from the film are retained producing a musical that definitely isn’t just for the the kids. Like the original book and the films the musical subverts the sanitised word of children’s stories with references to farting, an ugly hero and a less than perfect princess. Video Extracts from Shrek
The Music Don’t expect to hear all the songs that the film used. This is not a jukebox musical. Apart from the finale of an ensemble version of I’m a Believer all the songs were written especially for the musical. Personally I’m not sure if this green ogre will be a hero or a giant green turkey. I saw the film too many times as a parent and working in school to ever want to re-visit it! I’m just not sure they are going to be able to make this work on the West End stage and I’m not sure that the West End needs another film based musical. Wouldn’t it be great to have a really original musical rather than,yet another, adaptation? What do you think? Do leave us a comment if you agree or if you think I’m just a grumpy old blogger!
