The Bergen Record is
Mixed:
'"Shrek," which opened Sunday at the Broadway Theatre, is a musical that certainly has its entertaining moments. It's a pity it's so hectic that it's hard to just sit back and enjoy them.
Based on the animated-film goldmine about a Scottish-accented ogre with human qualities, the show apparently found it hard to decide what it should be, and who its intended audience was. Its creators compromised by trying to make it everything for everyone.
The result is a musical with a restless quality, one that never finds a comfortable, consistent tone for its storytelling. Under the direction of Jason Moore ("Avenue Q"), the watchwords seem to be "keep moving" – and that includes the succession of attractive Tim Hatley sets – and "keep telling jokes."'
http://www.northjersey.com/entertainment/stage/36152259.html The New York Daily News is
Mixed-to-Positive:
'When [Sutton Foster is] onstage singing, dancing or burping (Fiona's a princess, but not so fair), the production comes close to achieving liftoff. But by and large, it stays earthbound - fine, not great.
The same goes for the score by lyricist David Lindsay-Abaire and composer Jeanine Tesori. It never soars, but the songs are pleasant and fit the story.'
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/arts/2008/12/14/2008-12-14_green_giant_shrek_the_musical_hits_broad.html New York Magazine is
Positive:
'Three questions present themselves regarding Shrek the Musical, which opened last night at the Broadway Theatre. Can DreamWorks, following the Disney template, make a stage musical from a cartoon movie about a not-so-jolly green giant who finds love with a half-ogre princess? Can the Pulitzer-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire and the similarly serious composer Jeanine Tesori pull off a kid-luring crowd-pleaser? And, finally, is Shrek’s asinine sidekick, Donkey, quite the prancing, squealing gay caricature he’s rumored to be? The answer, on all counts, is yes.'
http://nymag.com/arts/theater/reviews/53120/ The Newark Star-Ledger is
Mixed-to-Positive:
'"Shrek The Musical" wants to be naughty and nice at the same time. Adapted from William Steig's book and Dreamworks' animated film, it bursts with pop culture references and cheekily tasteless jokes, but it also sells a gentle moral about the value of inner beauty.
Thanks to exceptional design and two great performances, the sweet-and-salty balance mostly works, delivering plenty of harmless fun.'
http://www.nj.com/entertainment/arts/index.ssf/2008/12/shrek_shows_being_green_isnt_a.html Newsday is
Mixed-to-Positive:
TITLE: "SHREK THE MUSICAL" SHORT ON INSPIRATION, BUT LOVABLE
'"Shrek the Musical" is sweet and busy, nice and big, and, every so often, extremely lovable. In yesterday's economy, this lavishly down-the-middle adaptation of a movie franchise would probably have been a sure thing for the big-ticket family market.
The fact that "Shrek" makes us think more about its market than its achievements, alas, says something about the shortage of real inspiration in the show itself. Director Jason Moore's production has an extraordinary cast - including Brian d'Arcy James as a deeply endearing hulk of an ogre - and marvelous prosthetics for the swamp-green monster with the plunger ears and Cyrano nose. But given the beloved source, not to mention a seriously bright creative team, we can be forgiven for expecting more than a paint-by-numbers fractured fairy tale from DreamWorks' first challenge to Disney on Broadway.'
http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/monday/partii/ny-etshrek155965530dec15,0,2898304.story The Philadelphia Inquirer is
a Rave:
'Brian d'Arcy James (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Lieutenant of Inishmore) plays Shrek for maximum empathy; at the end of the first half, when he sings about "Who I'd Be," you want to hug him, even though you'd end up covered with green. Broadway veteran Sutton Foster (The Drowsy Chaperone, Young Frankenstein, Little Women) is a wonderfully upbeat Fiona, the princess trapped in a tower and eventually Shrek's gal-pal.
For a musical portrayal of sheer megalomania, you can't beat Christopher Sieber (Spamalot, Chicago and a sheaf of daytime soaps), who plays Shrek's diminutive nemesis, Lord Farquaad, in a great costume that seems to have him walking in a chair. Effusive Daniel Breaker is a fine donkey pal, and the cast of fairy-tale stars includes a Pinocchio by the talented John Tartaglia (Avenue Q), who also operates the shows impressive fire-belching dragon. There's plenty of belching in Shrek, but the spiritual fire is what you come away with.'
http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/arts/20081215_A_big_green_ogre_goes_to_Broadway.html Time Out New York is
Positive:
'David Lindsay-Abaire’s consistently clever lyrics are complemented by Jeanine Tesori’s fresh pop music, and Tim Hatley’s storybook set and costumes look spectacular. But as Shrek says of Lord Farquaad’s castle: “It’s a bit much, isn’t it? Do you think he might be compensating for something?” Although director Jason Moore coordinates the action capably, he has trouble building momentum; Shrek often seems like a supporting character, and the emotional core of the show takes a long time to emerge. Happily, this problem is not fatal. As a lightly fractured fairy tale, Shrek is solid fun. It’s not a dream, but it works.'
http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/theater/69950/shrek-the-musical The Wall Street Journal is
Negative:
'"Shrek the Musical" is an iPod show: I liked looking at it, but longed desperately to be listening to something else on my earbuds. On the other hand, it wasn't made for me, or anyone over the age of 12, and I'm sure that the members of its target market will go for it in a great big way. In short, you're stuck with "Shrek," and so, I fear, is Broadway.'
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122963466772219437.html The Washington Post is
Very Negative:
'To: biggreenogre@dreamworks.com
From: your.man@animatedtalentmanagement.net
So, Shrekkie baby, how's it shakin'? Listen, kiddo, I caught the new Broadway show about you, what's it called? I got it in my notes here: Oh yeah. "Shrek the Musical."
As your former agent, I may be a little bitter -- how could I have known that snooze-a-thon "Shrek the Third" would tarnish the franchise? But Shrekster, buddy, allow me to ask the question:
What the heck happened?'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/14/AR2008121402465.html?sub=AR
"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
Updated On: 12/20/08 at 09:05 PM
