REVIEW: Shrek the Musical with a big, green heart!

What show looks like Spamalot, has the adult humor of Avenue Q, and features tongue in cheek nods to about a dozen iconic Broadway shows? The undeniable answer is Shrek, now playing on Broadway at the Broadway Theatre.

Shrek is fun. As a musical, there is really nothing new here—this is not earth-shattering, avant-garde theatre. The music by Jeanine Tesori is fine, the book and lyrics by David Linsay-Abaire are clever, and Jason Moore’s direction is effective. This team has created a perfectly entertaining evening on Broadway.

Tim Hatley, set, costume, and puppet designer, and Hugh Vanstone, lighting designer, have created a world for Shrek that looks and feels very similar to their Spamalot creation from a few years ago. The scene transitions are reminiscent of almost any major Broadway musical. But that’s ok because part of the charm of Shrek is the very intentional nod to other Broadway show moments.

To any avid theatre goer, Shrek is like taking a brilliant musical theatre history class where one gets to see moments from legendary shows including A Chorus Line, Dreamgirls, Sweet Charity, 42nd Street, Gypsy, Beauty and the Beast, and many more. Much of the theatre-insider humor is lost on the tourist audience, but for those of us who relish every musical theatre moment, these are the Easter eggs in the grass. It’s like a very high budget production of Forbidden Broadway.

At the very heart of Shrek is Brian D’Arcy James, who plays the big, green ogre. His voice is pure, and he is immensely likeable as the shunned monster. Sutton Foster’s Princess Fiona is demanding, funny and sentimental. When the two of them come together, there is magic in the air. But the real chemistry on stage is between D’Arcy James and his Donkey sidekick, played to perfection by Daniel Breaker. Breaker has comic timing and reaction of a caliber rarely seen on any stage. With one look or hoof gesture, Breaker says more than pages of written dialogue. Breaker and D’Arcy James look like they are having a great time. Their camaraderie feels real and their performances will almost certainly earn them both Tony nominations (leading and supporting actors in a musical).

The two other standout supporting actors are Christopher Sieber as the vertically challenged Lord Farquaad and John Tartaglia as Pinocchio. It seems a shame that both are forced to perform the show in some sort of torturous and unnatural style. Sieber is hysterical while playing Farquaad completely on his knees. Tartaglia delivers a wonderful wooden boy performance completely in falsetto. Both bring real heart to these extremely demanding roles.

Shrek has a simple story and message that works on many levels. For the kids, there is plenty of simple, funny, big green ogre humor. For adolescents and adults who still enjoy bathroom humor, you’ll find lots to make you laugh (including one scene that puts Blazing Saddles to shame). And for audiences of all ages there is the heart-warming lesson that people should be valued for who they are regardless of their differences. This message is reinforced by the entire company, lead by Pinocchio, in the show stopping production number, Freak Flag. We are reminded to embrace all people (aka Freaks), and to be ourselves, whether we are fat pigs, have religious differences (including witches), or are crossdressing predators like Little Red Riding Hood’s wolf (a self proclaimed "Tranny Hot Mess"). To punctuate the message, Pinocchio, in a high pitched and slightly effeminate voice, asserts, “I’m wood! I’m good! Get used to it!”

Shrek is a fun night of theatre. I suspect that parents who bring their children to see it will be forced to explain some of the adult humor. I particularly enjoyed listening to the concessionaire telling children they needed to get their parents’ permission to buy the shirt featuring a gingerbread man. The shirt simply says, “Eat me!”

The concessionaire explains to the child, “It sort of has a double meaning.” That could be said for much of Shrek, and that’s precisely what gives it such a heart.