Just like Lord Farquaad, this production proves that shorter things can still be formidable.
What: Shrek The Musical
Where: Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front St. E.
When: Now, until Tue., Dec. 30
Highlight: The dragon puppet. She’s a beaut.
Rating: NNNN (out of 5)
Why you should go: To feel like you’re stepping into the animated movie.
Young People’s Theatre is really good at crafting productions for — surprise, surprise — young people. Its latest production of Shrek The Musical — an 80-minute version of the Broadway show that’s been specifically retooled for young audiences — is joyful and snappy and is performed with a lot of love. But with a competing production being mounted next month an hour outside the city by Drayton Entertainment (this time, of the full two-and-a-half-hour version), it begs a bigger question: do children need a condensed version?
Shrek The Musical written by David Lindsay-Abaire (book and lyrics) and Jeanine Tesori (music) is a musical adaptation of the 2001 DreamWorks animated film about a green ogre finding love with a princess. The musical — truncated and original versions alike — follows the same general plot of the movie, with a few small additions from sequel films and the original source material, William Steig’s 1990 book Shrek! Neither theatrical iteration ventures into the PG-13 realm, though many jokes or musical references that cater to an adult audience have been stripped from the young audience’s version.
Upon its initial release, Shrek The Musical could have been categorized as “underrated.” Safe to say, it’s no longer considered a hot take that Tesori’s music and Lindsay-Abaire’s lyrics and script are way stronger than they have any right to be. The music is texturally light and bright, energetic, clever, and filled with up-tempo pieces that cover a wide range of styles, from Celtic-tinged rock ballads for Shrek to soaring soprano refrains for Fiona to Motown melodies for Donkey. The script has an undertone of satire hiding behind the sunshine and rainbows that, when combined with the music, gives the piece a little splash of snark. The show never takes itself too seriously, but it lands emotional punches left and right. Like the source material, Shrek The Musical is disarmingly charming.
The young-audience version that’s currently on the Ada Slaight Stage is Shrek lite. Most of the heavy-hitter numbers have been kept, but a few fan favourites have sadly been scrapped — for instance, the killer Act I finale (Who I’d Be) has been axed, the best song (I Know It’s Today) has been chopped in half and the only song from the original movie (the Monkees’ I’m a Believer, in the film covered by Smash Mouth … and Donkey) can only be heard while audience members find their seats. These cuts make sense, narratively speaking; what’s left is an easily enjoyable, playful musical, though perhaps some of the heart has been taken away.
One could argue that it’s not fair to compare a show to what it could be or once was. I’d reply that, since other stagings and videos of the full musical are highly accessible to a wide audience, comparisons are valid. If it seems like every school, community or regional theatre has produced Shrek The Musical over the past five years, it’s because they pretty much have. Just last year, the non-Equity national tour came to Toronto, and now the GTA has two new productions. Plus, a professionally shot video recording of the original Broadway production is readily available for online streaming. If anyone can see a fully realized version of the show, then why should they settle for a watered-down version?
I can think of one reason: the exuberant joy coming from the children in the audience.
YPT’s production of Shrek The Musical is pure fun. Entering the theatre, you’re transported into a magical green swamp that has been carefully designed by William Layton to be exciting while not overstimulating. The painted flat greenery looks like the 2-D background of a cartoon television show, and the layering of said flats adds depth, inviting the audience into the world. And can we talk about the massive dragon puppet? The Beetlejuice national tour must be eating their hat at how sad their giant worm puppet looks in comparison to Shrek The Musical’s glorious monstrosity. Across the board, Joyce Padua’s costumes are simply gorgeous: vibrant, detailed, expensive-looking, and smart. Padua does not go for hyperrealism but, rather, stylized enchantment that works beautifully. Well done.
The performances are, on the whole, effective. Trevor Patt nails the awkward charm of the unlikely hero, Shrek. Ellen Denny is a standout — her soprano notes ring to the back of the house, and her Princess Fiona is a truly “baddie,” as she sings in the finale. (I do wish they hadn’t cut Fiona’s tap-dancing sequence with the blind mice, though). Other highlights are Joema Frith as the extra-outgoing, effortlessly funny Donkey and Michael Therriault as Lord Farquaad, who elevates every scene in which he appears. Guided by director Herbie Barnes, who creatively uses every inch of the theatre through unexpected staging choices, the fairy tale creatures come to life with just the right amount of extravagance measured with heart.
It’s not YPT’s fault that they’re required to plan their programming around school schedules. Presumably it’s much easier to fit an 80-minute show into a busy learning day than a longer one, and I’m sure there are cost considerations as well. And don’t get me wrong, I appreciate theatre that has been specifically made for children — Playground at the Toronto Fringe Festival last season, which features the music of Jack Grunsky, comes to mind. If your children have the attention span to sit through full-length musicals (a skill that is worth developing), then perhaps they would be better suited seeing the full vision of Shrek The Musical. However, YPT’s Toronto production will scratch your Shrek itch without going ogre-the-top and is sure to please the kiddos in your family. It’s swamp-tacular!