Shrek is a much loved animation which involves all ages. Both adults & children It had a lot to live up to in my eyes. A great introduction which explained in more depth the childhood of the character and how the princess fell in love with shrek. At times the songs dragged, but as it went on the more entertaining it became, and always seemed to surprise the audience. The stage was fantastic. Changed so smoothly with each scene. A surprising act from Kimbery Welsh! Surprising just because it's not what I'm used to seeing her do. Overall a great production & I would recommend others to go & watch it :) - Trina
01 May 12
The Shrek film franchise was so successful thanks to some cracking adventure stories, cherishable characters and an abundance of sly and subversive wit to keep parents fully entertained even on repeated viewings on DVD. Sadly the stage musical fails to match those achievements in almost every case. The story of Shrek rescuing and falling in love with Princess Fiona is adequately told but none of the songs stand out apart from the inevitable gospel belter for the dragon. The satirical comedy, mostly at the expense of Disney, has vanished almost completely to be replaced by some references to long-running stage musicals , although I did like the fairy-tale charcaters recreation of the students' scene from Les Mis, complete with a waving green flag. Nigel Lindsay is an amiable Shrek but certainly didn't inspire the audience (packed with young children) and Richard Blackwood is unforgiveably unfunny as Donkey. Kimberley Walsh was better than I expected as Fiona given her almost total lack of relevant experience, but in a cartoonish sort of way which suggests that this will not be the start of a distinguished career in musical theatre. The show is saved from mediocrity by a genuinely brilliant and very funny performance from Nigel Harman as Lord Farquaad, given a new and hysterical back-story. Farquaad is clearly based on Richard III and presumably Harman also shares a chiropractor with Kevin Spacey as he spends most of his time on his knees, including some extraordinary choreography. Harman apart, Shrek pales in comparison to Matilda which shows just how to bring a much-loved story to the stage. - David Baxter
29 Dec 11
Left at the interval. Worst west end show we have seen. Cast either hung over or simply could not be bothered. Quite shocking. Complete waste of a lot of money. - Peaches
28 Nov 11
A couple of hours of my life that I will never get back, was looking forward to this as the films were charming. Just a terrible amateur production. - Shirley
14 Nov 11
This show is not good! The music is dreadful and is acted no better that a school play. Richard Blackwood's donkey is beyond appalling. I had great expectations of this but it really is a very weak west end show. Nigel Harman steals it but he does have the best material to work with. - James. London
23 Aug 11
We arranged a trip to london around going to see shrek. we had an e-mail one week before to inform us that the show had been cancelled due to the cast promoting the show on a popular television programme ie, britains got talent. the money we had paid was reimbursed to us but no offer to see the show on another night. We had to spend an extra night in london which cost us nearly 2 hundred pounds more and had to take extra annual leave. We originally had seats 4 rows from thr front but ended up with a very poor view towards the back of the theatre.
After all this the show was like a glorified pantomine and a very weak performance all round ( except for lord farqhat). It was a very disappointing experience all round. We have written to the theatre company but basically they dont want to know. I have seen many west end shows and this is by far the poorest! - chris
21 Aug 11
Left at the interval! The principals couldn`t sing, there were no tunes and it was an insult to kids who deserve something more intelligent than this bilge. `Into The Woods` it ain`t, although it desperately wanted to be.The dragon was good though. - Trevor Collins
24 Jul 11
'Holden performs with perfect poise, true vocal technique and an appealing, steely edge'. Coveney - don't talk about vocal technique when you clearly know nothing about it. Holden can just about the show but has absolutely no technique to speak of. A 'shouty' belt range and a good top end of her voice does not make for a good Princess Fiona, nor does it indicate good vocal technique. This style of show needs someone with a strong mix voice to cope with the constant Cs and Ds in the score. Go and look at Sutton Foster nailing 'I Know It's Today' on Broadway to see what the role requires. Someone funny, spiky, quirky and loveable is needed. Not someone who can't even move their eyebrows due to the amount of Botox they have had. The show is great, fun and likeable, but the producers should be ashamed of themselves for putting celebrities who cannot cope with the roles on stage just to pull in the punters. Have the courage of your convictions for once. The Americans would be appalled if they saw the 'talent' that is headlining this show. - Bella
11 Jul 11
A very enjoyable show and I agree that it is a larger sort of pantomime Musical but very entertaining. I took my 10 year old grand-daughter to see it and she loved it and made me anjoy it more as it is definitely geared for the young audience. Still it was good and Imaginative sets and all lively and colourful. Nigel Lindsay and Amanda Holden were very good and Richard Blackwood evn better BUT the very best performance for me was Nigel harman who stole almost every scene he was in and sure next year at the awards he will get a nod as Best supporting actor in a musical. - Joe Spiteri
18 Jun 11
Saw the show at final preview. It provides a couple of hours of harmless fun but is not a great show. all the main stars are good, particularly Nigel Harmen. It should run but Dury Lane is a big theatre so a respectable run but I doubt if Shrek will be making his home at Dury Lane for years to come - Chris
17 Jun 11
We all enjoyed this show. Amanda Holden is very good as Princess Fiona, so is Nigel Lindsay as Shrek, Richard Blackwood not so good as Donkey but the star of this show is Nigel Harman as Lord Farquard who does it all on his knees. Loved the little legs and the dance numbers. On the whole a good production but a little dissapointed with the dragon as I saw one fly around without seeing the people working it underneath at Southampton a couple of years ago. A fun night out and enjoyed the finale. - ils
16 Jun 11
I had the benefit of seeing Alice, the understudy who shows what a properly trained performer can make of Princess Fiona. However Richard Blackwood is easily the worst performer I have ever seen in a West End Musical. He looked absolutely lost and very uncomfortable. Nigel Lindsay was OK, but with no donkey to work off and a voice that is pleasant but not powerful enough for some of the rockier moments, made for a very bland double act. Nigel Harman easily stole the show with his athletic Farquad, and as mentioned above, Landi Oshinowo wipes the floor with all of the leads vocally. Donkey looks humiliated just trying to sing with her. - Iain
16 Jun 11
This show boasts a fantastic supporting cast, and Nigel Harman is fantastic as Farquad, but the 3 leads are at worst woeful, and at best mediocre. And, given how much of the show is spent with only the 3 of them on stage, that is a serious problem.
And on that note, what hope do we have of persuading producers to employ genuine West End talent when a supposedly specialist musical theatre reviewer can declare that Amanda Holden has 'true vocal technique'. (Particularly when the show provides, in Landi Oshinowo, a handy comparison which only serves to highlight just how embarrassingly mediocre she, and her 2 co-stars, are!) - Dave
16 Jun 11
I agree with the review above to some extent but have to give my opinion on the negatives of the production,not that there were many.
In my opinion the level of the show is bought down by Nigel Lindsays inability to sing, Amanda Holdens lack of vocal strength and the whole idea of casting Richard Blackwood.
I found these 3 to be the weakest in the production but take my hat off to Landi Oshinowo, Nigel Harman and the rest of the company for delivering faultless performances. - Sam
14 Jun 11
This is an enjoyable evening out. The cast were all good but Nigel Harman steals the show - hilarious!
Loved the dragon - she was stunning.
Hope it finds an audience (and possibly a new donkey).
- Stuart
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