REVIEW: Shrek: The Musical at Melton Theatre (The Melton Musical Theatre Company)

It enchanted audiences with remarkable characters, extraordinary musical numbers, and heart-touching moments.

We first meet our unlikely hero, Shrek (Charlie Harris), as a voice over, and as he begins to tell the tale of his childhood, we hear Shrek’s iconic Scottish accent.

From the second he bursts onto the scene through the door to his swamp, Charlie has the audience in the palm of his hand.

He delivers in bringing all of the fan-favourite mannerisms and cynicism of Shrek to the stage, charming the audience with every song and punchline.

His comic timing and partnership with sidekick Donkey (Dan Atkinson) is fantastic to watch, and as the duo’s friendship blossoms, we see a more sensitive side to the ogre.

His partnership with princess Fiona (Steph Lovegrove) is heart-warming, especially in, ‘I Think I Got You Beat.’ Charlie’s performance in, ‘Who I’d Be’ to close Act One is poignant, he builds the song beautifully, and when joined by Steph and Dan’s goosebump worthy harmonies, it really engages with the musical’s overarching message of acceptance and self-discovery.

One third of the fantastic three is Donkey (Dan Atkinson), who brings every ounce of charisma and quips to his performance.

Steph brings a wonderful interpretation of the quirky, sassy, and blunt princess to the stage.

She is joined by the outstanding younger cast members, who alternate the roles of young Fiona (Bow & Delilah) and teen Fiona (Flossie & Connie).

Now, what is a good fairytale without a villain?

And Lord Farquaad (Ross Woods) is nothing short of ruthless.

Ross makes every moment on the stage truly memorable – he embraces all aspects of arrogance and smugness of the character, and exhibits a masterclass in acting during the dazzling number, ‘What’s Up Duloc?’

I must also mention the superb Dragon (Vikki Taylor) and its puppeteers (Ryan Green, Andrew Hull, and Sam Carter) in the song ‘Forever.’

The Dragon is accompanied by the wonderful backup knights (Georgie Bladon, Charlotte Broomfield, Karen Peters, and Stacey Priestley), who each bring soulful harmonies and add another layer of humour to the scene.

There are so many extraordinary performances in this show, and it’s delightful to watch some brilliant individual performances in those big numbers.

A special mention goes to Pinocchio (Jak Beasley) who graces the stage with high-energy, vocal versatility, and immaculate comedic timing.

Praise should also go to Gingy (Kate Felts), who effortlessly blends innocence and charm with an animated voice.

The Three Blind Mice (Lauren Cressey, Jasmine Peveritt, and Katherine Vernon) perform a sassy backup singing in ‘Make a Move.’

Bernice Rowan’s direction and choreography balances the humour and heart-warming themes of the musical exceptionally well.

Rachael Wilson’s stunning musical direction is marvellous and plays to the strengths of every performer onstage.

There are some complicated and demanding vocal numbers in this musical, but Rachael leads the cast with precision and ensures that those important harmonies create an enchanting atmosphere.

This show is magical, with a talented cast of fairytale creatures onstage and an efficient crew backstage, it was an absolute joy to watch.

Next up for the TMMTC is a production of the Monty Python-inspired Spamalot, from October 15 to 18.