Shrek The Musical

This show has now closed, click here for a listing of current and future London shows

Previewed 6 May 2011, Opened 14 June 2011, Closed 24 February 2013 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane Theatre in London

This new stage musical is based on the story and characters from William Steig's book Shrek! and the Oscar-winning animated feature film Shrek, the first chapter in the much loved series of irreverent fairy tales. Join Shrek, our unlikely hero, and his loyal steed Donkey, as they set off on an adventure to rescue the beautiful (if slightly temperamental) Princess Fiona, from her tower, guarded by a fire breathing love-sick dragon. Add a wannabe King with a height complex, a bunch of fairytale superstars, and a biscuit with an attitude, and you've got next year's must see new musical comedy - Shrek The Musical.

Shrek The Musical features all new songs as well as the cult Shrek anthem - I'm a Believer. The stage musical has book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori.

"As musicals go, this show hits the target spot on. It combines all the right ingredients - slick appeal, warmth, clever lyrics, catchy songs and a tremendous comic appeal from a cast who appear to be enjoying themselves. There is little doubt it will prove a crowd-puller, as it did in New York. It has great family appeal and, judging from the audience reaction last night - there were many youngsters present - it will prove a big hit... Directors Jason Moore and Rob Ashford steer a fast-moving, brilliant show that will simply pull in the audiences." The Daily Express

"To judge from the giddy glee and hilarity the London version of Shrek The Musical is arousing in its early audiences, it looks likely that we are going to be clutching the all-green, all-singing ogre in a warm embrace for quite some time. What I love principally about the show, directed with great charm and elating zip by Jason Moore and Rob Ashford, is its delightfully uncynical freshness of spirit... In Shrek the Musical wisdom is gradually attained with a sometimes cheeky, sometimes affecting lightness of touch, pulled along by Jeanine Tesori's jaunty score and the bouncy humour of David Lindsay-Abaire's lyrics and book... I look forward to seeing this show again." The Independent

"Shrek sets out to do no more than entertain, and in this it succeeds handsomely. It combines an attractive tongue–tied romance with a celebration of lovable losers and oddbods and David Lindsay–Abaire's book and lyrics have a welcome sense of mischief about them. At its best Jeanine Tesori's score recalls the great soul music of the 1960s and ends with the bubblegum bliss of the Monkees' I'm a Believer... The show's use of fairy–story characters, who pitch up as squatters in Shrek 's swamp, is deliciously funny, and Tim Hatley's lurid designs are often spectacular, not least the amorous purple dragon that flies over the heads of the audience... Shrek certainly doesn't rank among the musical greats, but it offers an engaging couple of hours of family fun." The Daily Telegraph

"Once upon a time musicals drew their inspiration from books, plays or even real life; now they seem to be based on animated movies. But, although Shrek stems from the 2001 DreamWorks film, it is genuinely theatrical, generous-spirited and mercifully free of the sensory bombardment that afflicts some of its rivals. What it lacks is memorable tunes. To its credit, the book by David Lindsay-Abaire follows the film without being slavishly tied to it... The evening's real pleasure lies in the wit of the staging by Jason Moore and Rob Ashford and the quality of the designs by Tim Hatley: we get sets that open up like the pages of a children's storybook, tap-dancing rats and a scaly dragon that ends up flying over the heads of the audience... It's an amiable, well-crafted show that puts you in a pleasant frame of mind and that will fill a gap in the family market." The Guardian

Suitable for ages 4 plus, Shrek The Musical in London is directed by Jason Moore and Rob Ashford with with choreography by Josh Prince, designs by Tim Hatley, lighting by Hugh Vanstone and sound by Peter Hylenski.

Shrek The Musical in London at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane Theatre previewed from 6 May 2011, opened on 14 June 2011 and closed 24 February 2013.