Review: Shrek The Musical arrives at The Regent Theatre *

Shrek The Musical

[Ad-gifted] If you loved watching the 2001 DreamWorks movie which has a lot of people ooing and aahing over the cute giant ‘ogre’ then stay calm…Shrek The Musical is here at The Regent Theatre in Hanley at last!  Following the unprecedented success of the first UK and Ireland tour, the original production team reunites to bring the hit musical to Stoke-on-Trent from Wednesday 2, until Sun, 13 May 2018.

The musical which debuted in 2011 to nearly 2 million audience members nationwide is set to bring the much loved fairy tale based on William Steig’s book alive focusing on the ogre, his swamp which is overun by fairy tale creatures who have been banished there by order of the evil Loprd Farquaad.  In order to get his swap back, Shrek makes a deral with Farquaad to bring him a queen (in exchange for the deed of his swamp). Shrek sets out with a talking donkey and rescues Princess Fiona. While they take Fiona to Farquaad, Shrek starts to fall in love with the Pricness and soon discovers a shocking secret about her.

The cast and team members are excited to reunite again after nearly 10 years to bring this much loved story to audiences across the country once more. And I am sure you are as excited as we are to watch this show!

So what we thought of Shrek The Musical ?

The talented cast did ever so well in bringing the animation character to life from the way they walked, talked and dressed and sung.  Just like in the movie, Shrek had a Scottish accent, Lord Farquaad had and English accent while Princess Fiona and Donkey had an American accent. The backdrop set was beautifully presented with great sound and light accompaniment. Each of us had a favourite character, my husband thought Lord Farquaad stole the show 100% with his antics and humour. My daughter was totally smitten with Princess Fiona while my son loved the Donkey and  I loved Gingy, the Gingerbread Cookie.  The dragon captivated us with its sleek movement and choreography. It is a show we think you should not miss! It kept us entertained from start till the end with the cast receiving a standing ovation when the curtains closed.

About the Cast of Shrek The Musical 

Leading the cast as beloved swamp-dwelling ogre Shrek will be Steffan Harri, having previously starred in the original UK tour of Shrek the Musical, he was totally amazing at being Ogre and performed it effortlessly. Also joining Steffan is Amelia Lily as Princess Fiona, Marcus Ayton as Shrek’s wisecracking sidekick Donkey (loved his fantastic performance) and Samuel Holmes as pint-sized villain Lord Farquaad (who had us in stitches).  The company of fairy-tale characters will include Adam Baker, Ethan Bradshaw, Michael Carolan, Joseph Dockree, Will Hawksworth, Sarah-Louise Jones, Reece Kerridge, Thomas Lee Kidd, Amy Oxley, Jemma Revell, Lucinda Shaw, Sam Stones, Adam Taylor, Jennifer Tierney, Sophie Wallis, Francesca Williams, Laura Wilson and Kevin Yates (who were all impressive in their own way).

Tips / Information

• Parking is ample either arond the public car parks close to The Regent, but do check the rules. Some parking lots might need you to pay even at night. We parked up at intu Potteries and that cost us £1 (its fixed rate after 6pm).
• The Regent also provides binoculars (usually located at the back of each seats) for £1.
• Programme Booklets are usually on sale for £5, full details of the show and cast members are featured on it.
• The Regent is a beautiful theatre with ornate decor and traditional seating. It has plenty of performances out throughout the year and lots of variety.

How do I book tickets to watch Shrek The Musical?

Tickets are now on sale and available from the Box Office, by calling 0844 871 7649 or by visiting ATG’s website here.

How long is the show for and what are the timings?

Shrek the Musical will run until Sunday, 13 May 2018 with evening shows are at 7pm while matinee shows will be on 5th, 6th, 7th, 12th and 13th.  Please check the website for full details on timings.

How much do the tickets cost?

Tickets are priced from £17.50 to £52

Where is The Regent Theatre in Hanley, Stoke?

Piccadilly

Stoke-on-Trent

ST1 1AP

Tel: 08448717649

You may also want to read this: Family Day out at Legoland Discovery Centre, Manchester

* Thank you to The Regent Theatre for the production photos. Photo credit to Tristam Kent. We were also given theatre tickets in return for the review, all opinions are our own.