A Monster of a Musical

Anthony Lawrence plays Shrek (The Lion King, Mary Poppins. Mathilde and We Will Rock You) with Joanne Clifton as Princess Fiona (BBC Strictly Come Dancing, Windfall and The Adams Family) whose fiery acting and strong vocals are excellent. Alongside them is Brandon Lee Sears as Donkey (Dreamgirls, Be More Chill, Come from Away, Heather, Motown the Musical and On the Town) whose task is particularly challenging in having to follow in the footsteps of the almighty Eddie Murphy. He plays his role admirably with some great moments, movement, and body language. I would, however, love to see a bit more of the irritating, animated, over-the-top character that we loved so much in the film.The production is delightful, transporting the audience into the world of the story.

The staging, scenery, lighting, and backdrop video projections are all masterfully executed, creating a mesmerising atmosphere that perfectly matches the tone and mood of the narrative.

The orchestrations in this production are excellent, and the seven-piece band create an impressive sound, albeit painfully loud at times. The choreography is incredible, and the costumes are stunning. However, it is the show's incredible ensemble that steals the spotlight, with every person giving an individually outstanding performance in their acting, singing, timing, energy, and sharp and timely movement. They exude the highest of energy and are simply joyous. Special mentions to Mark D’Arcy as Pinocchio. Cherece Richards as the Dragon (Once On This Island, Regent's Park Theatre) sings with gusto and awe and Georgie Buckland as Gingy, whose powerhouse vocals truly blow the roof off. The kids will love it, so do get along whilst it’s still showing and book your tickets now at ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes.