My first surprise upon entering Romiley's Forum Theatre this evening was the extent of the make-over this theatre has had. I was last here to see 'Seussical', and at that time the stage was on ground level, and was a large open space (utilised expertly I might add). This evening however, I find that a huge and professional-looking proscenium arch stage had been fitted including an orchestra pit and apron front walkway. A false proscenium with curtains and rear tabs made the theatre building look smaller, but much more intimate and professional.
My second surprise was finding out how good the cast were. I remembered the cast of 'Seussical' impressing me at the time, but this show just took my expectations to another level completely!
We all know the story, don't we? A young ogre is sent out by his parents to live his own life at the age of seven and finds himself living a lonely but comparatively happy life in a swamp. That is until one day a whole cart-load of children's literary characters turn up on his doorstep after being ordered to live here by the nasty ruler of the realm, Lord Farquaad, thus kick-starting his adventure with a talking donkey and sending him on a quest to rescue a princess stuck in a tower surrounded by molten lava and a dragon!
In this version, directed by Hannah Thomas, the musical stays as close as it possibly can to the professional stage show / film. The company even brought on stage a wonderfully large puppet dragon which has to be one of the highlights of this show of many highlights. The costuming, make-up, and set design were all just, in a word, excellent.
Matthew Rigby was absolutely wonderful as the loveable ogre himself. A slight non-regional Scottish brogue in keeping with the film set him slightly apart - as if he wasn't separated enough already! - and his changes in character's moods were excellently handled. His on-stage chemistry with both the Donkey and the Princess Fiona were not only superbly measured but a joy to watch. John Dean's sassy American Donkey was taken straight out of the film, and the children would so easily be able to recognise and relate to his every superbly nuanced gesture and grunt. The evil half-dwarf Lord Farquaad was played with boyish glee and Bond-villainesque charm by Paul Allison who had the unenviable task of performing his role on his knees! Completing the four main characters was yet another very talented performer, Kirsty Podlaski, as the Princess Fiona, whose character arc from impetulent rescue-wannabe, through her romantic feelings for Shrek, to her dealings with Farquaad were very intelligently layered. All four had lovely singing voices too, and made for a formidable foursome!
They were, of course, supported by a large and extremely skilled team of smaller roles, cameos, chorus and dancers - all too numerous to mention individually; all adding layers (not like an onion!) to this feel-good show with their individual charaterisations and unstoppable energy! Although I will just mention one... who sadly didn't seem to be given a curtain call (or did I simply miss it?) - and that was the young girl who played the Young Fiona (Kathryn Ellington). For someone so young to put so much expression into her short song was quite something. It was such a pity that her mic wasn't working during her trio with the other two Fionas.
Talking of things technical, this was where, most unfortunately, the show let itself down somewhat. The sound levels were not balanced properly at times, soloists were cast in semi or full shadow at times, and I lost count of the number of times rear tabs or larger set items didn't work properly, or the stage management team (and sometimes even the cast) were seen on stage putting things right or moving stage set and props. This was such a pity, as in all other respects, this show was simply first class.
With a 10-piece live band under the leadership of Ceri Graves, this was a truly wonderful show. What a way to celebrate the return of NK Theatre Arts coming back into action after such a long and enforced break. Congratulations!
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 22.9.21
Go Kathryn!
ReplyDeleteYay Kathryn
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