This one was written but Rick Bowen for Messenger Newspapers and as you'll see he was totally captivated by Faye's stunning performance as Princess Fiona.
Shrek - A Monster Hit!
FROM Lynda Baron, the object of Arkwwright's affections in Open All Hours to Matthew Kelly, Urmston has produced some fine actors over the years.
After watching Shrek - The Musical you can now add the name of Faye Brookes, who plays Princess Fiona, the lovable ogre's love interest, to the list.
Whether she's singing the incurably catchy score or having fun with our hero, this gifted actress is equally at home when it comes to comedy. She also has a potent chemistry with Dean Chisnall (Shrek) and this is particularly evident when they engage in, what is, to put it mildly, a competition with a difference.
I was well and truly charmed by the films, with the exception of the final one, and wondered if they could re-create their quirky appeal on stage. My fears were completely unfounded and the Palace Theatre has a huge festive and post-festive hit on its hands.
All too often, the phrase "family show" is code for dross but in Shrek - The Musical we have a cleverly conceived piece of entertainment that is certain to strike a chord with people aged eight to 80. Some of the jokes are too subtle for the children but there are no cheap laughs here. The script is as witty and as clever as the screenplays of Mike Myers' movies were.
While Brookes and Chisnall are terrific fun it would be wrong not to mention Gerard Carey as Lord Farquaad, the villain of the piece. This is an immense comic performance, visually and verbally and he reduced large swathes of the audience to hysterics when I saw the show. This is sure to be repeated nightly as Carey loves every second on stage. Will his Lordship ruin everything and whisk away Fiona as his bride, or will Shrek save the day?
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