Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center Customers Reviews
Great Idea With Scope For Enhancement
This is a play aimed at fans of the movie. It follows the first film very well. At the heart of the audience is enjoying the movie experience played out on stage. In some respects the play hit this mark but not always.
The acting: The Shrek character is well acted, complete with accents, air of seriousness, yet frustrate comedy that makes the film's character so great. Donkey is great with plenty of laughs. Farquaad was outstanding. The dragon and the cast of fairy tale characters were also great.
The sets were solid as where the costums. Farquaads troops (as others) had armor that was made from shiny plastic giving a cartoonish look. The details of Ponoccio to give image of a wooden boy was great, etc. etc.
Where the play loses is they do not have much of the music that adds energy to the film. Some songs were upbeat and energetic. Unfortunatly there were way too many dramatic / contemplative moments that seem to be added more for the actors than the predominately adolecent audience. Personally, i was looking for laughs and entertainment. Hearing Shrek sing of sadness didn't help in that respect nor do i think it lends to what i expected to be a light-hearted production.
The bottom line is this was a great idea at holiday time for parents to provide a great holiday gift. There is so much potential to make future kid-themed plays even better. I look forward to seeing what the Walnut Theater does next year!
M.