Like all other fairy tales, Shrek The Musical is set far far away in the kingdom of Far Far Away, and paints the tale of a grouchy but immensely lovable ogre who embarks on a quest to rescue Princess Fiona from her tower, which is guarded by a vicious fire-breathing dragon for the evil Lord Farquaad. As fate would have it, Shrek and Fiona fall in love in the process and eventually share their “true love’s first kiss”, closing the musical with a bright and beautiful “happily ever after”.
However, Shrek is also not your typical cookie-cutter fairy tale — it’s a tale that prizes inner beauty over physical good looks and challenges the romantic but archaic notion of being rescued by Prince Charming. Neither is Princess Fiona your typical damsel in distress; she is feisty and adventurous, even engaging in an on-stage burping fest with Shrek, and most importantly, harbours an even bigger secret, one that forces her into hiding at night. Nor is Donkey your ordinary “noble steed” – he is incredibly chatty, is a little cowardly and has a phobia of heights, but proves to be the ultimate sidekick and an exceedingly loyal friend. Indeed, the most unlikely friendships in the most unexpected places turn out to be the strongest.
The overly enthusiastic and incredibly chatty Donkey proves to be a loyal friend to Shrek and a true “noble steed” – indeed, the unlikeliest friendships are ultimately the strongest. Photo courtesy of BASE Entertainment.
Shrek may not be your typical prince charming, nor is Fiona your typical princess, but their love is truly remarkable – love is, indeed blind. Photo courtesy of BASE Entertainment.
The musical boasts a talented international cast. The characters emanate that extra human touch, making the musical much more realistic, but yet retain a childlike liveliness and imagination that keeps both the little ones and grown-ups on edge for a whole two hours. The costumes are also absolute perfection, with every little detail meticulously designed and masterfully executed, from Shrek’s characteristic pointy ogre ears to Gingy the Gingerbread Man’s purple gumdrop buttons and even to Pinocchio’s constantly growing nose. Although the cast is adorned in a wealth of heavily-embellished costumes and prosthetics, this in no way hampers their stellar singing, dancing and acting, and in fact makes the performance all the more entertaining.
All the little details are painstakingly executed in the stunning costumes, including Shrek’s characteristic pointy green ogre ears. Photo courtesy of BASE Entertainment.
Behold the grand fire-breathing dragon! Photo courtesy of BASE Entertainment.
The set is also superb, whether it is Shrek’s swamp, Lord Farquaad’s castle, Princess Fiona’s tall tower, coupled with seamless transitions from day to night and beautiful computer-generated background imagery such as moving clouds and spewing fireballs. Every scene that unfolds reflects the sheer effort and skill required to translate the fairy tale kingdom of Shrek from screen to stage, and is truly a sight to behold.
Shrek The Musical is truly a fun-filled entertainment experience for the entire family. Photo courtesy of BASE Entertainment.
Shrek The Musical is definitely family-oriented, but with several more mature lines that may be slightly more challenging for the little ones. It is funny without being over the top, and sentimental without being over-cheesy. It exudes the feel-good vibes of a typical fairy tale love story, but in a decidedly unconventional way, one that makes for a much more magical “happily ever after”. A story as endearing as Shrek’s transcends generations and beliefs, and just about anyone is guaranteed a refreshing night of non-stop fun and laughter.
What: Shrek The Musical
When: 8 June to 19 June 2016, Tuesday to Friday – 7.30pm, Saturday – 2pm and 7.30pm, Sunday – 1pm and 6pm.
Where: Grand Theatre, MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands
Tickets: Get your tickets at www.sistic.com.sg or call +65 6348 5555. Ticket prices range from S$65 to S$175.
