Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#1
Posted: 9/1/10 at 11:03amCan 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?
Joined: 12/31/69
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#2
Posted: 9/1/10 at 12:21pmthere was a pic in the photo flash page on the tour about a month back
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#3
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."
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/05
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#4
Posted: 9/1/10 at 4:40pmThe 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.
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#5
Posted: 9/1/10 at 6:49pm
^
Have you seen both productions?
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/05
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#6
Posted: 9/2/10 at 1:43amIn 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.
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#8
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.
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#9
Posted: 9/2/10 at 12:54pmYes, but if the puppeteers are dancing and extremely noticeable as Wishing says, then they obviously aren't doing a good job at Bunraku.
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#10
Posted: 9/2/10 at 1:16pmWould 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.
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#11
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.
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#12
Posted: 9/2/10 at 2:45pmWell, 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.
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#13
Posted: 9/2/10 at 3:53pmWould 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?
Shrek On Tour - Dragon Changes?#14
Posted: 9/3/10 at 2:26pmWell 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.
Videos
