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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2010 > November > 04 > Entry
Review: ‘Shrek the Musical.’
These days it’s pretty common for us to see things moving across media - movies become miniseries, and books become blockbusters. But this week, Broadway Across America is here to prove that James Cameron isn’t the only one bringing big colorful creatures to life.
It’s not often you get to see a play that looks more like a cartoon than real life, and “Shrek: The Musical” is one of those spectacular theatrical events that you have to see to believe. With performances at the Bass Concert Hall through Nov. 7 this is serious Broadway theater: big budget and plenty of pizzazz.
The costumes have an uncanny cartoon quality. Pinocchio (Blakely Slaybaugh) looks like a living puppet, the Duloc dancers look plastic, and Shrek (Eric Petersen) is as ogre-ish as it gets.
The fabulously flashy Lord Farquad (David F.M. Vaughn), though, takes the cake and the kingdom when it comes to costumes and character. Vaughn is delightfully diabolical, and the creative choreography in Duloc is guaranteed to entertain audiences of all ages.
Despite some added back-story of parental abandonment, the show stays close to the original DreamWorks plot. Like the movie, the show has moments of more adult humor, but nothing excessive. It’s a rare instance of entertainment that will charm you just as much as your children.
The costumes alone are worth the cost of tickets, so the sensational set design and stage business are just added bonuses. Manned by four performers dressed in black, the Dragon comes alive in unanticipated glory, and there’s a sequence involving tap-dancing rats that will utterly delight.
Perhaps the most stunning moment, however, is Princess Fiona’s (Haven Burton) transformation from princess to ogre at the end of the show. This particular piece of theatrical magic will seriously take your breath away.
While most musicals are driven more by the songs than the plot, “Shrek: The Musical” relies on our love of the great green ogre. The singing in the show is strong, but it’s the story, not the songs, at the heart of this performance.
“Shrek” is a love story about sharing things in common instead of looking for Prince Charming or Prince Handsome. It teaches us that it’s okay to be different, and that anyone can find love, even in the unlikeliest of places.
‘Shrek the Musical’ continues through Nov. 7.Bass Concert Hall, UT campus, 2350 Robert Dedman Drive. $23-$64. Note: Every person entering the theater must purchase a ticket including young children and infants. www.texasperformingarts.org
Cate Blouke is an American-Statesman freelance arts critic.
See a video of the backstage make-up process for ‘Shrek the Musical.’
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