Shrek as presented by Letterkenny Music and Drama Group

Society name: Letterkenny Music and Drama Group

Show name: Shrek

Adjudicator date of attendance: 07/12/2024

Brief Overview of Show and Front of House

Attending Letterkenny Music and Drama Group’s production of Shrek was a delightful experience that combined humor, charm, and a heartfelt story. The audience was clearly engaged throughout, demonstrating a strong connection with the performances and the overall energy of the production. The Front of House team worked efficiently, creating a welcoming atmosphere that set the tone for the evening. The program and other materials were professionally presented, and the audience flow was well managed. 

Director- Direction and Production

The direction of Shrek by Tina Higgins and Maire McGinley demonstrated a strong vision with many effective elements. The use of space and set pieces was creative, particularly in maximizing the stage’s dimensions to deliver a visually dynamic performance. Moments such as the additional journey in the opening scene, and the extra characters crossing the stage during musical numbers were thoughtful touches that enriched the storytelling. There were areas for improvement. Some blocking choices led to awkward upstaging, which disrupted focus in key moments. The extension and additional entrance DSL were underutilized, missing opportunities to further enhance the spatial dynamics. While the use of body doubles was an inspired choice—especially for transitions involving Fiona—this technique could have been pushed further to create even more seamless and striking moments. Overall, the direction provided a solid foundation for the production, but refining these details would elevate the performance even further.

Musical Director- Direction and Orchestra

The orchestra’s performance was one of the highlights of the evening. The band delivered a fantastic sound that was well-balanced across the instruments, creating a rich and vibrant musical backdrop under the capable baton of Denise Roper. The electronic tone of the score lent an 80s-inspired charm, which worked well for the whimsical nature of the show. That said, there were notable issues. The villagers at the beginning were inaudible due to a lack of microphones, which impacted the clarity of the opening scene. Additionally, the chorus occasionally faltered with harmonies, particularly in the soprano and alto lines. The inconsistency in harmony was most surprising among the mic’ed performers, which may indicate areas where further vocal coaching could enhance precision and balance.

Choreographer- Choreography

Choreographically, the show had moments of energy and creativity but lacked overall precision from Tina Higgins and Maire McGinley. The tap sequence in “Morning Person” was a standout, showcasing a high level of skill and coordination. However, other numbers, such as the Duloc sequences, suffered from untidy execution. Given the rigid synchronicity required for these scenes, the lack of uniformity detracted from their comedic impact. The Soldiers numbers also reflected varying levels of ability within the cast. While this diversity is a natural part of amateur productions, simplifying the choreography to lean into performers’ strengths would have been more effective. With additional drilling and polishing, the overall execution could reach the desired level of sharpness and professionalism.

Leading Principles- Singing and Acting

Shrek (Ricky Kyle) -  Ricky delivered a commendable performance as Shrek. His voice had a lovely quality, although there were occasional moments of pitchiness. His characterisation was strong, and his stage presence commanded attention. Due to the prosthetics covering most of his face, facial expressions were limited. To overcome this, Ricky could have leaned more into vocal variation and physicality to convey emotions more vividly. Nevertheless, his portrayal was engaging, and his journey felt believable.

Fiona (Ella Terry-Sweeney) -  Ella shone as Fiona. Her stunning voice was a highlight, with an impressive ability to balance the character’s dual nature as a sweet princess and a spirited, quirky individual. She was confident in her movements and physicality, and her chemistry with Shrek was palpable. Her distaste for Lord Farquaad was particularly well-executed, adding depth to her performance.

Donkey (Conor White) - Conor brought humor and energy to the role of Donkey. His comedic timing was excellent, and his consistent accent added to the authenticity of his performance. While his “off-script” moments were entertaining, he could have pushed the comedy even further to make Donkey’s larger-than-life personality truly unforgettable. Vocally, he was strong and smooth, and his physicality perfectly embodied the character.

Dragon (Rachel Akkoc) - Rachel impressed with her stage presence and powerful belt voice. Her head voice had a lovely tonal quality, though there was a noticeable weakness in the transition between the two registers. Her movement on stage was confident and fluid, but her chemistry with Donkey felt underdeveloped. Enhancing this relationship would strengthen her performance.

Lord Farquaad (Shane Gallagher) - Shane Gallagher’s portrayal of Lord Farquaad was amusing but lacked consistency. While the exaggerated approach suited the character to an extent, it occasionally felt overdone. His singing voice was pleasant, but his physicality on his knees appeared awkward, which affected the overall believability of the performance. Greater comfort and confidence in this aspect would make his portrayal more impactful.

Supporting Roles: Singing and Acting

Pinocchio (MJ McFadden) - MJ brought humor to Pinocchio, with a good voice that unfortunately lost clarity due to the altered vocal tone. Slowing down dialogue when using such a high register would improve comprehension. Singing in this register is challenging, and while MJ’s efforts were commendable, more vocal support could enhance delivery.

Gingy/Ugly Duckling (Aoife Flanagan) - Aoife managed to differentiate between the two characters effectively. Her energy as Ugly Duckling was infectious, though her vocal performance was not as strong. This role, however, benefited from her enthusiasm and commitment.

Big Bad Wolf (Craig Peoples) - Craig struggled with audibility and clarity, which hindered the impact of his performance. Stronger projection and diction would greatly improve this role.

Wicked Witch (Brighidin Carr) - Brighidin Carr delivered a standout performance with strong characterisation and a great sense of fun. Her energy brought the Wicked Witch to life, making her a memorable presence on stage.

Pied Piper / Teen Fiona (Grace Gavigan): Grace Gavigan delivered a lovely performance as Teen Fiona, showcasing a good voice and strong characterisation. She effectively captured the charm of the younger Fiona. As Pied Piper, her portrayal could have embraced more quirkiness to fully highlight the comedic potential of the role.

Thelonius (Luka Pecar): Luka Pecar provided some funny moments as Thelonius, though these could have been pushed further for greater comedic effect. Overall, the performance was fairly understated, and embracing more exaggerated physical comedy could make the character more memorable.

The Three Bears played by Jenny Yourell (Mama), Jamie Kelly (Papa), Belle Terry-Sweeney (Baby), created a lovely family unit, with good energy. 

The Three Blind Mice played by Jessica McDaid, Orla Nelis, and Veronica Haughey, created a strong back up for “Make a Move”. Some further fun could have been added to their choreography to add to their characterisation.

Other supporting characters, such as Sugar Plum Fairy (Laura Gleeson), White Rabbit (Aida Gornes), Elf (Zuzanna Rotusta), Dwarf (Orla Nelis), Fairy Godmother (Audrey Coyle), Peter Pan (Johnny Campbell) were competently performed and a great addition to the ensemble but lacked standout moments. Adding more specific character quirks or comedic elements would make these roles more impactful.

Chorus/Ensemble- Singing, Acting and Choreography

The chorus and ensemble were enthusiastic and energetic, which translated well to the audience. However, their performances varied significantly in precision and execution. Some cast members demonstrated excellent movement skills, while others appeared less confident. Additional rehearsal focused on finessing choreography and unifying energy levels would help achieve a more polished and cohesive performance. Vocally they created a good sound overall, with a few odd sounding harmonies coming through at times. 

Stage Management and Set Design

The set design was a highlight, with creative choices that supported the storybook theme. Printed flats for the wings and the use of projections to “turn pages” between scenes were clever and visually appealing. Moving set pieces were well-designed, and the decision to have cast members handle them added to the charm. However, the style of scene changes felt inconsistent. It would be more effective to choose either blackouts or visible changes rather than blending the two approaches. Ensuring changes are fully complete before lights come up would enhance the overall flow.

Technical- Light and Sound

The lighting design was functional but underutilized given the size of the rig. Transformative moments, such as Fiona’s transitions, would have benefited from more dramatic effects like gobo rotations or strobe lighting to heighten the impact.

Sound design faced challenges, including excessive reverb on dialogue and several missed cues, particularly for one-liners. Mic balance issues affected some songs, and un-mic’ed performers were occasionally lost in the mix. These issues, while not overly disruptive, did detract from the overall polish.

Visual- Costumes, Hair and Make Up

The costumes, hair, and makeup were mostly strong, particularly for the principals. Shrek’s prosthetics were professional and impressive, while the Dragon’s design was striking and effective. However, some elements—such as Donkey’s makeup—felt overly stark, resulting in a loss of facial expression. More shading would improve this.

The Duloc costumes appeared ill-fitting, which detracted from the precision of these scenes. Additionally, minor characters such as the deer and others crossing the background were not fully costumed, which disrupted the cohesive visual design. Attention to these details would further elevate the production’s overall aesthetic.

Adjudicators suggestions/ comments-

1. Direction: Address blocking issues to reduce upstaging and make full use of the stage, particularly the DSL extension and additional entrances. Push creative ideas, such as body doubles, even further to enhance magical moments.

2. Music: Address balance issues in harmonies and ensure all performers’ vocals are audible through appropriate mic coverage.

3. Choreography: Simplify numbers to match cast strengths and focus on precision through additional drilling and rehearsals.

4. Acting: Encourage performers to explore character depth and physicality, especially for roles constrained by costumes or makeup.

5. Technical Elements: Expand lighting creativity and refine sound design for better clarity and balance.

6. Visual Design: Ensure costume fit and consistency for all characters, including minor ones, to maintain a cohesive look.

   
   

In conclusion, Letterkenny Music and Drama Group’s Shrek was an enjoyable and ambitious production. While there were areas for improvement, the effort and enthusiasm of the cast and crew were evident. With attention to detail and refinement in the highlighted areas, future performances will undoubtedly reach even greater heights.