Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 9/1/10 at 11:03am

Can anybody explain the changes that were made to the Dragon for the Shrek tour? I've never seen an incarnation of it that worked, so I'm curious what they did for the tour. Does it work? Is it any good?

Posted: 9/1/10 at 11:05am

I found this picture.

[Justin D]

Posted: 9/1/10 at 12:21pm

there was a pic in the photo flash page on the tour about a month back

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 9/1/10 at 1:06pm

It looks fantastic in picture, but cheesy and cheap on stage.

Pretty much, the Dragon is now a giant stuffed animal on poles carried around by dancing ensemble members who are dressed in all black, but are extremely noticeable. The mouth of the Dragon does not move in sync to the voice... the Dragon's voice is now sung by Carrie Compere who is off stage..and "Donkey Pot Pie" no longer exists, it was replaced by "Forever."

Updated On: 9/1/10 at 01:06 PM

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 9/1/10 at 4:40pm

The dragon is much better on tour than it was on Broadway, in my opinion. It is a one piece puppet, no actors representing scales, or what ever that was on Broadway.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 9/1/10 at 6:49pm

^
Have you seen both productions?

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 9/2/10 at 1:43am

In a matter of speaking... yes. I saw the Chicago production a few weeks ago at the Palace, before they switched Farquads. I have watched the Broadway production as well.

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/2/10 at 8:54am

So basically, it's now Audrey II.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 9/2/10 at 12:42pm

That style of puppetry is called Bunraku and if done properly can be very effective, even with the puppeteers in plain sight. I have used it in many productions. Julie Taymor uses it a lot too.
The mind of the audience will tend to erase the performers if the puppet and the puppeteering is performed well enough. It can be quite magical.

[willep]

Posted: 9/2/10 at 12:54pm

Yes, but if the puppeteers are dancing and extremely noticeable as Wishing says, then they obviously aren't doing a good job at Bunraku.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 9/2/10 at 1:16pm

Would have to see it to make that judgement. Some people I find, don't quite get that style of puppetry and have a hard time actually seeing past the performers no matter how expertly done. Zaszu in Lion King has the puppeteer very visible in actual make-up and it still works.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 9/2/10 at 1:53pm

Like Snafu said, it's effectiveness will vary from person to person. I worked on a tour of Cinderella some years ago that had very visible puppeteers for the mice, cat, and dove. A good majority of the children only saw the puppets while occasionally you would hear some asking their parents about "those people in the blue pajamas."

I think Timon is an even better example of a successful use of this style, in regards to The Lion King. It took only a few moments onstage for me to completely disregard the actor and only notice the puppet the first time I saw that show.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

Posted: 9/2/10 at 2:45pm

Well, I'm shocked to hear that is the same style used in The Lion KIng, I mean I can see it now, but... I thought The Lion King was genius with the puppetry of Zaszu and I didn't mind at all, but I can't say the same for Shrek. You could tell the dancers were made as least visible as possible... maybe if there wasn't such an effort to hide them it would have been more effective? Either way, I thought the Dragon was a huge miss.

[rorschach37]

Posted: 9/2/10 at 3:53pm

Would anyone happen to have or know where I could find a recording of the Dragon's new song, "Forever"? I'm dying to hear it. If so, could you PM me a link?

[willep]

Posted: 9/3/10 at 2:26pm

Well if you want to get technical, it's not really bunraku unless it is 3 puppeteers, no? I know I'm being picky, and I haven't seen any of these shows, so I can't really judge either. Just commenting.