Shrek the Musical
This review is from 2011; ‘Shrek’ returns to London in the summer of 2023 as a touring production, with a completely different cast. If DreamWorks is going to emulate Disney's success in turning animated kids' movies into live musicals, it needs to find its own Alan Menken. Animations like 'Shrek' or 'How to Train Your Dragon' are lustier, crustier and so much funnier than Disney's classics. But the soul of any stage musical is in its music. It's a shame Neil Diamond wasn't available for the whole job in DreamWorks's first live project: a foot-stamping, all-cast rendition of 'I'm a Believer' ends this jolly green giant of a show on an infectious high which the previous 17 numbers can't quite reach. Jason Moore and Rob Ashford's improved ex-Broadway production takes 'Shrek's freak-championing generosity of spirit and hammers it home, with a chorus of overweight pigs, wicked witches and other fairytale misfits. But Jeanine Tesori's bland, wistful music, despite soulful moments of '60s pastiche and a witty book and lyrics from David Lindsay-Abaire, just isn't juicy enough to do 'Shrek' justice. William Steig's story of an ogre who falls for a princess farts in the face of fairytale conventions. That helps make 'Shrek' a better show for kids than the spectacular but overly sadistic 'Wizard of Oz' currently at the Palladium. If parents can afford to take them, children will love the belching, irreverence and storybook lustre of Tim Hatley's costumes and design. The high point is a