We are big fans of Shrek here at Downton Shabby and the box set of films is much loved and often played.
The kids were thrilled when we had the opportunity to review the dvd of Dreamworks "Shrek The Musical".
 |
| Shrek The Musical DVD |
The musical has a strong sound track which mixes sing-along numbers with some songs in rock / pop style which makes for an incredibly catch score.
The plot remains largely faithful to that of the first movie where ogre Shrek meets the irrepressible donkey and together they set off to rescue Princess Fiona from the evil clutches of Lord Farquahar.
The musical's principal characters (Shrek, Donkey, Fiona and Lord Farquahar) are supported by a talented cast playing characters from fairy stories and other Disney characters.
Because this is the Broadway version, the cast is unknown, however, this did not matter in the slightest. The Three Little Pigs are there, as is Pinocchio.
There are also some very clever references to other musicals such as The Lion King.
The banter between Shrek and Donkey matches anything that the film characters (Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy) have to offer and there are enough jokes for the grown-ups to keep them amused too.
Lord Farquahar short stature is hilariously portrayed by the actor kneeling throughout with a pair of 'comedy legs'.
The scene where Shrek and Fiona fall for one another is also very funny with each rivalling the other by burping and other methods of wind expulsion!
Needless to say, the kids giggled throughout this scene.
Donkey's paramour, the dragon also takes a central role to the plot and appears as an enormous puppet figure, as does the Gingerbread Man (yes, the Muffin Man joke is there too, for Shrek connoisseurs).
I wondered if Caitlin and Ieuan would enjoy the musical as much as the film and, by and large, they did, although the production at 130 minutes was about 20 minutes too long to keep Ieuan fixed on the sofa. In the end we watched the dvd in two parts.
I really enjoyed Shrek The Musical (possibly more than the kids) because, as mentioned, it is written to appeal to all age groups.
I'd highly recommend it as good family viewing this Christmas to make a change from endless repeats of Harry Potter and Star Wars.
Available at Amazon, this edition also contains a special feature of a songbook with 7 sing-along songs.
*A PR copy was sent for the purposes of this review, which contains an affiliate link.
