The anti-hero we’d all been waiting for, not least fair Princess Fiona, SHREK switched up the notion of Prince Charming and that mythical Knight in Shining Armour ideal the moment he planted one swamp-ridden foot in our collective consciousness.
A theatrical retelling of the 2001 movie starring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz, SHREK THE MUSICAL, has all the comical components that made audiences fall in love with an Ogre (played by Ben Mingay) and his donkey (played by Nat Jobe) way back when. At its heart, it is a love letter to those who have spent their lives on the fringes of society, those whose uniqueness excludes them from the cookie cutter expectations touted by the likes of Lord Farquaad and his Stepford proponents.
Punctuating the action with original musical numbers, this stage sensation brings the story to life with such vibrance and energy as to add an entirely new layer of meaning woven into the narrative that perhaps we may have missed the first time round. Interracial marriage, negative stereotypes, unrealistic expectations of beauty, xenophobia and exclusion are all prevalent topics riding the undercurrent of this production.
Certainly while this lively, and so funny it’ll bring tears to your eyes musical will have families piling in by their hundreds, Shrek and his motley band of dysfunctional fairytale friends appeal to the families society has only now begun to recognise with any legitimacy.
The grouchy ogre who overturned the long-held dream imposed on us by media and fiction alike not only forces us to re-examine our view of the world but himself learns a valuable lesson. Forced out of his solitary existence by the very society who would shun him, it is through others’ prejudices that Shrek himself finds the family he never knew he needed. And love.
As for the wonderful stars of the musical, now playing in Sydney until 9 February, Lucy Durack’s Princess Fiona stole the show for me. Her comic timing and vivacious portrayal of the heir to the Kingdom of Far Far Away left her stealing every scene she was in. Todd McKenney’s Lord Farquaad too was a favourite, cleverly scaling himself down to size to make short work of the arrogant Lord’s pursuit of a queen to elevate him to the royal prowess he so desires.
Look out for a special lyrical treat from vocalist Marcia Hines as the ‘dragon lady’ , her voice quite literally blew me away!
Shrek the Musical is on at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in Pyrmont until 9 February.