Blackout Theatre Company: Shrek - Review by Joshua Straw

There is an unspoken tension when something so beloved is taken from its origins and adapted into a musical. Will the characters tranlate? Will the score make sense? In short, will it land? Shrek may be the penultimate example of these questions, in that it is an animated lunacy that holds so much nostalgia and adoration for many. In my opinion, while the book of the story has flaws in its adaptation, a lot of heart is added to the characters and the overall plight of the fairytale creatures, and Blackout Theatre Company’s newest production of Shrek: The Musical works hard to bring this to life.

Co-Directors Liam Vicari and Flynn Crewes clearly lay out their mission in the directors’ note, seeking to share the message that everyone deserves to belong and feel loved. From the moment you step into the Pioneer Theatre, you begin this journey through a wonderfully vivid physical set that allows you to explore the musical’s message with whimsy and laughter. I appreciate the accompanying backdrops in adding a storybook feel to the environment, although at times I felt it pulled focus from the stunning three-dimensionality of the physical world they had conjured. I also loved that I felt a really big focus on the ensemble, who are as much a part of the story as the leads; giving them a space to breathe and shine was a crucial directorial choice that I feel paid off on many occasions.

Choreographer Emily McKenzie and Assistant Matilda McKenzie created moments of beauty and sharpness on stage. ‘What’s Up Duloc?’ was a particular standout for me, as you could see how much love and attention went into the synchronicity of the cast; the choreography here was as sleek as their yellow bob-cuts. This similarly travels throughout the show, and while there are moments where this can prove challenging with such a huge ensemble to work with at one time, it remains enjoyable to watch.

I was simply astounded by the work of Musical Director Leo Tarbox and Assistant Cassidy Donovan. The orchestration and singing sounded outstanding and, on night one of any community production, that is no small feat. The added layer to this is that the music is being piped in from another room, requiring careful coordination that you wouldn’t even know is needed given how perfect it was sounding throughout the show. Adding onto this a solid vocal performance from the entire cast, there is no doubt that we were an audience spoiled rotten. The combined vocals of the fairytale ensemble were truly some of my favourite moments of the evening.

The collective costuming efforts from Head of Costumes and Makeup Katie Griffiths and Costume Designer Brianna Bullen was delightful. I felt safe in a world of colour, camp and whimsy throughout the show, and appreciate that such a wide range of costuming is extremely difficult to pull together. The makeup and costumes were well-finished and allowed me and the rest of the audience to settle fully into the hysterical fantasy world that is Shrek.

Simon Buchner does an excellent job as the eponymous Shrek. I would go as far to say that this is probably the hardest role to play in the entire show, not because it's the lead, but because you need to be the foil to every other character’s craziness. Buchner does this so well; with brilliant vocals and a hilarious characterisation, he holds your attention throughout the show and gives you permission to laugh at and with him. The softer parts of Shrek's character in the latter part of the show bring humanity, and I honestly believe these were Buchner’s best moments on stage.

Princess Fiona was played by Caitlin Jade Dennis, who brings a powerful presence and vocals to the role. Fiona as a character is a translation issue for me, and I feel the writing of the story dilutes so much of what makes her a badass. Dennis refuses to let this slip, however; her characterisation and force remind us of who Fiona is meant to be, and as a long-time lover of Shrek I was most appreciative. A special mention here for Dennis’ shared performance of ‘I know It’s Today’ with Macy McCosker-Delgado as Young Fiona and Olivia Sappey as Teen Fiona - this was a joy to watch and a well-executed heartfelt moment.

Andrew Topinio as Donkey is a match made in heaven. Topinio oozes the charisma needed for the role and is consistently having fun and creating energy for the audience to interact with. With an amazing presence and vocals in his own right, Topinio nails that much-needed comedic relief for the more serious lead roles and asserts himself as one to watch.

Rob Hale as Lord Farquad broke me. I would love to have been a fly on the wall in the rehearsal room, as surely Hale’s response to any suggestion must have been ‘yes, and’. His energy was electric on stage; yes, you hate him and, yes, you are meant to, but you cannot help but laugh at how delusional and bombastic he is. Hale demands focus, and is often setting himself as the bar that all other performers need to match (not always easy, but an excellent challenge). This is how Farquad should always be played.

I was absolutely blown away by Helena Cazouris in her performance of Dragon. Holy vocals. It was slightly infuriating to watch Cazouris belt in a way that seemed completely effortless, but this is just indicative of the fact that she is a complete powerhouse. She made the audience’s job easy because all we had to do here was sit back and enjoy, especially with Luke Quinn’s masterful operation of the Dragon puppet to compliment. How one person could do all that, I’ll never know and I’m happy not to.

I’ll give two short shoutouts here. Lucy North as Little Red was an eye-catcher, but actually the real standout moment for me was in ‘What’s Up Duloc?’. She was an eye magnet with her sharp movement and manic smile, and it was so fun to watch. Jordan Miller as the Wicked Witch stole attention in the fairytale ensemble scenes. Her combination of spot-on voice and unwavering presence had me constantly returning to see how she would react to the chaos unfurling on stage.

Having been in many ensembles, I know how often every single person deserves a shout out on stage. Shrek is made for the community, and you all brought forth the heart of the show. As stated by the co-directors, this is a show for the freaks and the weirdos and please know that the audience got to see you all shine. 

First night slips are expected in any production, and what I appreciated most was the way in which the cast was able to roll with the punches and just have fun. When things go wrong, you make it right. Shoutout to Lex Sywenkyj as Pinocchio in particular, whose adlib during a nose mishap had me in hysterics. You took a moment that all actors fear and had the audience laughing with you, which is the mark of a true performer. As for all the other little slip-ups, these are things that will be polished up, or I have the fullest confidence that the cast will continue to handle it like pros.

This is community theatre, and it is fun. This cast has surely become a family over the rehearsal period, and if you have the opportunity to, you should bring your own friends and family to celebrate their hard work and have a fantastic time.

Thank you very much for having me for your opening night, and chookas for the remainder of your season.

I give this production of Shrek: The Musical 3.75 Gumdrop Buttons out of 5.

Photography provided by Maria Gorelik.