Review: Shrek (UK Tour) at the New Wimbledon Theatre

Shrek (UK Tour) 
New Wimbledon Theatre
Reviewed on Thursday 21st January 2016
★★★★

As its UK tour comes to an end, Shrek The Musical has returned to London for a short run at the New Wimbledon Theatre. Based on the 2001 DreamWorks film, Shrek translates terrifically well on stage; it is a charming musical with greater appeal than some might think.

Big Interview: Bronté Barbé

Bronté Barbé is currently starring as Princess Fiona in the UK and Ireland tour of Shrek The Musical.

Following two year runs on Broadway and in the West End, Shrek has been touring the UK and Ireland since 2014 and is about to play its final engagements in Wimbledon and Salford.

Bronté originally played Little Red Riding Hood when the tour began before taking over as Fiona last spring for the production’s second year. 

Bronté’s theatre credits include: Sharon in Cool Rider In Concert (Lyric/Duchess), Odette in Carnival of the Animals (Riverside Studios), vocalist in Momentous Musicals (UK tour) and Penny in Hairspray (Kuala Lumpur/Singapore). 

In 2010 Bronté entered Andrew Lloyd Webber’s BBC programme Over The Rainbow and was selected as one of the final ten. She also participated in the workshop for But I’m a Cheerleader The Musical directed by Jerry Mitchell and features on the Cool Rider’s original West End cast recording. 

I recently spoke to Bronté about taking over as Princess Fiona, her favourite parts of the show and what makes Shrek such a fantastic piece of theatre. We also geeked out over Hamilton and The Bridges of Madison County, discussed Cool Rider plus much, much more…

Can you believe you’re entering the final few weeks of the tour? Has it flown by?

It has been a whirlwind! I think I found out I had been cast as Little Red Riding Hood in November 2013 and then we started the following June. Then four months before the end of our first contract I found out I was going to be taking over as Fiona, and since then I can’t believe how quickly the second half of the tour has gone! It’s bonkers!

Casting announced for Shrek The Musical UK Tour

Producers of Shrek The Musical have announced the show's brand new touring cast.

Idriss Kargbo (Donkey) and Gerard Carey (Lord Farquaad) join the previously announced Dean Chisnall (Shrek) and Faye Brookes (Princess Fiona, pictured right).

They will be joined by a full company of fairy-tale characters including Bronté Barbé, Nikki Bentley, Jennifer Caldwell, Candace Furbert, Steffan Harri, Will Haswell, James Lacey, Mia Lincoln, Neil Moors, Jenny O’Leary, Georgina Parkinson, Rohan Pinnock-Hamilton, Ryan Reid, Leo Roberts, Jacqui Sanchez, Oliver Tester and Kerry Winter.

Faye Brookes to star as Princess Fiona in Shrek The Musical UK Tour

According to the Manchester Evening News, Faye Brookes will star in the UK Tour of Shrek The Musical as Princess Fiona opposite Dean Chisnall as Shrek.

Faye Brookes, who starred as Elle Woods in the first UK Tour of Legally Blonde, made her West End debut in 2010 as Frenchy/understudy Sandy in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre. Most recently she played Liesl in The Sound of Music at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and Ann/Edna in That Day We Sang at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester.

Nigel Harman will direct the 2014/15 UK are Ireland Tour of Shrek The Musical, which begins at the Grand Theatre in Leeds on Wednesday 23rd July. The tour will then visit Bristol, Nottingham, Belfast, Dublin, Oxford, Manchester, Aberdeen, Canterbury, Newcastle, Glasgow and Sheffield, with further venues still to be announced.

Review: Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Shrek The Musical

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Reviewed on Wednesday 16th January 2013

"Shrek The Musical tells the story of the swamp-dwelling ogre who embarks on a life-changing adventure in order to reclaim the deed to his land. Joined by a wisecracking donkey who won’t shut up, this unlikely hero fights a fearsome dragon, rescues the feisty Princess Fiona and learns that real friendship and true love aren't only found in fairy tales. With all-new songs, and an old favourite in I'm a Believer, this spectacular stage musical brings to life the original film’s cast of dysfunctional characters and the accompanying subversive fun."  

Shrek The Musical is one of the best family friendly musical comedies I have ever seen. With a hilarious script, an impressive set and a catchy score, not only will kids leave with big grins on their faces, but parents will too.

Kimberley Walsh eyes up West End return & announces plans for musical theatre themed solo album

Kimberley Walsh, who recently starred as Princess Fiona in the West End production of Shrek The Musical, has revealed that she would like to return to the West End. During a recent interview with The Sun Newspaper Kimberly explained that her recent stint on Strictly Come Dancing has reignited her love for live stage performances.

"I've always loved musical theatre but Shrek unleashed the passion in me again," she said. "I do really feel like a lot of the things I've learned on Strictly Come Dancing will come in handy. I would definitely consider being in the West End more in the future."

Funniest Performance in a West End Show: 9 - 12th Place

9th Place

Michael Simkins 

Sir Humphrey Appleby

Yes, Prime Minister

1%

Michael grew up in Brighton and trained at RADA. A familiar face on stage and TV, his recent leading West End roles include Sam Carmichael in Mamma Mia!, Billy Flynn in Chicago and David Buckle in Michael Frayn’s comedy Donkeys’ Years. Michael is hilarious in Yes, Prime Minister, a show everyone should see before it closes at the Trafalgar Studios in January. Click here to read our 4 star review of Yes, Prime Minister.