Shrek as performed by Cecilian Musical Society

Shrek, as performed by Cecilian Musical Society, Limerick. 

Date of Adjudicated Performance: Saturday 25th November, 2023. 

Costumes, prosthetics and make-up are probably the key ingredients in giving the Musical, Shrek, any hope of recreating the magic of the Dreamworks movie, and in this respect, The Cecilian Musical Society got things very right. Shrek himself, and his fellow ogres, looked suitably green and gruesome. Donkey was a work of art. There was impressive detail in the make-up, wigs and prosthetics of the cast of fairytale characters, with Pinocchio, the Wicked

Witch, the pigs and the bears being outstanding. The puppetry of Gingy and The Dragon was very good. Apart from a frequently twisted right leg (which in all honest was hilarious) Lord Farquaad looked extremely well.

Costumes, most of which come as part of the show package, were excellent, and those used for the rat-tappers and for the three blind mice were very effective additions. This was, indeed, a visually delightful show.

Director, Des Henn, stayed true to the expected format for the show, focused on the well rounded characters and comedy, and presented a tidy production with good use of the available stage space. While the hired set echoed the backgrounds of the movie, it did seem to be a little sparse on occasions, but in fairness, Des made the most of what he was given to work with. Stage Manager, Ray Burke, and his team, did a decent job on the scene changes, although the frequently moved ramp did take a bit long to put in place a few times. There were some very good atmospheres created with colourful effects lighting, but it was sometimes at the expense of good key lighting. On several occasions, faces were in shadow, which made it difficult to read facial expression. An early problem with mics being affected by prosthetics was rapidly remedied by the sound crew, and for the rest of the show, the stage/pit balance was very good and cueing was precise.

And speaking of balance, Musical Director, Michael Young, leading from the piano, maintained good control and accuracy with his fine orchestra. Tone and tempi throughout were strong and secure. Michael had also done good work on choral harmonies and he was blessed to have a fine vocal line-up of principals. Strong vocals, with good harmonies and good diction, were evident from the chorus whenever they were involved. They also had a good assured presence on the stage, playing well to the focal point of the action.

Added to that, I’m sure choreographer, Barbara Meany, was more than impressed with their energy and ability in the dance department. As well as the slick routines for Welcome To Duloc and a nifty tap routine with Fiona and the rats, there were chorus numbers that fused good dancing and changing patterns in a very tidy display that very strongly enhanced the overall production.

Playing the title role of Shrek, Barry Danaher had a strong stage presence, a fine and tuneful voice and a very good sense of comedic timing. I’m unsure if it’s a requirement of the show that Shrek recreates the Mike Myers Scottish accent of Shrek, but Barry did so most effectively. I also very much enjoyed the sincerity of his more emotional scenes, in what was a very impressive display of acting.

As his sidekick, Jason Ronan captured the precocious and mad-cap mayhem that epitomizes Donkey. Quick fire delivery of lines, a rockin’ good voice and good physical comedy were

the hallmarks of this well-realized characterization. His costume and make-up were very well worn.

As the beautiful and fiery Princess Fiona, Alison Kearney’s vocal delivery was as strong as her acting, which was nearly as strong as her comedy, which was nothing short of excellent. This was the show-stealing performance of the night, strutting the stage, demanding attention and deserving the most fulsome appreciation from an audience who loved her to bits.

Brian Henry brought a wealth of comedy and experience to the role of vertically challenged Lord Farquaad, enjoying the ridiculousness of the character. God help his knees, as he was extremely animated throughout. He performed his numbers with good energy and added delightfully superior facial expressions to enhance his silliness.

Hilary Phayer provided the vocals (and human embodiment) of The Dragon, nicely outfitted, and with a presence and a voice that suited the character. The puppet itself was very good and had good movement and involvement.

Holly Purtill gave a lovely vocal performance as Teen Fiona, while Laurie Bray-McEvoy impressed as both Young Fiona and Baby Bear.

Of the myriad of supporting roles, Cathal McCarthy as Pinocchio made a big impression with a perfectly pitched character voice and very good comedy timing. Ailish Lemes, both as a puppeteer and as the voice of a very expressive Gingy, did everything right, with good comedic effect. Ciaran Collins, Martin Pierce and Sarah Curtin were highly amusing as The Three Little Pigs, and getting the show off to a good start, Brian Curtin and Anita Croke Ryan led the way confidently as Mama and Papa Ogre. Grainne Hartnett as The Witch, James Malone as The Wolf and The Pied Piper, Jane Henry as The Ugly Duckling, Holly Naughton as The Sugar Plum Fairy, Niamh Morrison-O’Brien as The Fairy Godmother, Ellen Henry as The White Rabbit and Aine Hogan as Peter Pan all gave great support and established their individual characters. David Hinchy was a good Young Shrek and doubled as a fittingly grumpy Grumpy in the final scene.

The Three Blind Mice, Anita Croke-Ryan, Amanda Pierce and Michelle O’Brien added a touch of glamour to their scene, while Brian Quinlivan and Rebecca Timmons were impressive as Papa and Mama Bear. Further support was given by Shane Carroll as the Bishop and Glen Carr and Sue Sheridan as the King and Queen.

I don’t think it’s ever possible, on stage, to fully capture the magic and mystery of a story that started life as a dynamic cartoon, but thanks to strong performances, great musical content and a very impressive visual display, Cecilian Musical Society certainly put their best foot forward and should be extremely proud of their efforts in bringing this fairytale to life.

Peter Kennedy, Gilbert Adjudicator

Some photos kindly provided by the society.