The highly anticipated South African premiere of Shrek the Musical is ready to hit the stage, writes Latoya Newman
DURBAN’s award-winning KickstArt Theatre Company have pulled out all the stops with their West End musical adaptation of the hit movie Shrek.
With a 28-strong cast, this will no doubt be one of the major highlights on the local theatre calendar this month.
Director Steven Stead has roped in some of the best talent on offer, including Lyle Buxton in the title role, Rory Booth as Donkey, Jessica Sole as Princess Fiona and Jacobus van Heerden who plays the diminutive Lord Farquaad.
Shrek has evolved into a popular hit through the tale which sees the green monster as a content, albeit lonely, ogre whose life is disrupted when fairy tale creatures take refuge on his land.
In an interview with Tonight, Stead revealed how he actually never gave seeing the musical a second thought during his travels in London and New York.
“I thought it would just be another franchise musical which took a really good film and milked it for everything it was worth to make a quick buck. I avoided going to see it, but Greg (King) bought the DVD of the Broadway show and we watched it and I just fell in love with it. I eat my words about what I thought it was!”
The musical follows the story exactly from the film, but the music is new.
“The only song the audience will know is I’m a Believer which they do in the finale. All the music has been written especially for the Broadway musical, whereas the film uses a whole lot of retro pop songs for the score. So this is the original music. It’s got that typical Broadway sound and that wonderful ’60s gospel feel.”
Of his cast Stead said: “Lyle has a magnificent voice, for a start. He is a big boy, tall, well-built, and he’s fit. This role needs someone who is fit. It’s a big singing role and he really doesn’t leave the stage. He’s good actor, he can do the Scottish accent, he’s an excellent mimic. So he was a natural choice for me.
“Rory as donkey is also a natural choice because he can sing all that Motown sound that’s required. He’s also a great comedian. The original Fiona is Sutton Foster whom I saw on the DVD, and she is one of my favourite actresses. So casting that part was quite tricky. I wanted someone who could be quirky and elegant at the same time, and have the intelligence to be self- deprecating; Jessica is that person.
“She looks beautiful, but is capable of being quite gorky and funny when she wants to. Kobus van Heerden plays Lord Farquaad. He’s a really funny chap and has had to dothe whole thing on his knees, for his sins,” laughed Stead.
• Shrek the Musical, Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, May 23 to June 28. Computicket. Block bookings: Ailsa: 083 250 2690 or editor.goingplacessa@ gmail.com No under-6s.