REVIEW: Spectacular ‘Shrek the Musical’ goes for broke

REVIEW: Spectacular ‘Shrek the Musical’ goes for broke

There’s nothing half-measured about Shrek the Musical–unless you’re Lord Farquaad, I suppose. But kidding aside, from the moment the curtain rises, it’s clear that this production (directed by Dexter M. Santos, with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire) is determined to go all in. 

What is immediately apparent is that the show looks and feels like it has money to burn, and it spends every bit of it to deliver a high production value spectacle that throws everything at the audience: countless sets, costumes, characters, puppets, and songs.

Santos’ staging leans unabashedly into the story’s absurdity, humor, and bigness. The result is a family-friendly show that knows exactly what it is: a cartoon come to life. 

Played out as the phrase may be, but ‘feast for the senses’ is apt here. The LED screens and scenic design find balance. The technology enhances depth and framing rather than overpowering the stage, which is a welcomed surprise for a show being staged at NPAT. 

From screen to stage

Based on the beloved animated film, Shrek the Musical tells the story of an ogre (Jamie Wilson) who simply wants to be left alone in his swamp. When Lord Farquaad (Alfredo Reyes) banishes the kingdom’s fairytale creatures and they take refuge on his land, Shrek sets out to reclaim his home. 

Teaming up with the sassy Donkey (Topper Fabregas), he strikes a deal with Farquaad: rescue the isolated Princess Fiona (Krystal Kane) from her tower in exchange for his swamp’s deed. Along the way, Shrek and Fiona discover their similarities—and secrets—as she hides a curse that turns her into an ogre by night. 

The tale builds toward its familiar “happily ever after,” though this staging trades much of the film’s adult-leaning wit that earned the film its cult following for a tone that’s decidedly wholesome and geared towards younger audiences.

Big, bright, beautiful

Santos’s direction seemed to have taken every opportunity to bring Far Far Away impressively up close and personal for the show’s audiences. There’s ambition here and not just in scale, but in actualizing the task of translating an animated fantasy into live theater. It’s ambition fully realized, but does come at a cost. 

The theatrics occasionally buries the more nuanced themes of otherness and self-acceptance that anchor the story. But if subtlety and nuance must be sacrificed, it might as well be in favor of joy, color, and movement.

It teems with immersive sets (Lawyn Cruz), elaborate costumes (designs from the Broadway production and executed by Eric Pineda), puppetry (by Kayla Teodoro), and a massive ensemble that makes the kingdom seem dense and dynamic. 

Cruz’s scenic design and Fallarme’s video projections do much of the heavy lifting, transforming the stage from swamp to castle to tower to dragon’s lair with fluidity. Each transition feels like the turn of a page in a storybook, reinforcing the sense of wonder. It’s a level of craftsmanship that makes the show’s ticket prices feel like a bargain.

Musical director Ejay Yatco ensures the score lands with a bright, Broadway fare. Though bigger is nearly always better for this show, the band’s sound occasionally overwhelms the performers, burying lyrics and finer emotional beats beneath the bombast (sound design by Ceejay Laudato). 

Stephen Viñas’s choreography thrives on scale, symmetry, and the sheer number of bodies onstage. The ensemble shines brightest in Lord Farquaad’s musical numbers, where a small army of matching footmen flanks the hilariously tiny despot.

Fun fairyfolk

At the center, Wilson’s Shrek is solid but ironically somewhat dwarfed by the enormity around him. His take is more mildly inconvenienced than curmudgeonly, his Scottish accent occasionally slipping. 

In contrast, Krystal Kane finds both the heart and the humor in Fiona’s arc. Her performance—along with Nela Quilloy Cu Unjieng (as Young Fiona) and Daniella Albano (as Teen Fiona)—delivers one of the show’s standout numbers, “I Know It’s Today,” and gives the princess depth that makes Fiona co-protagonist of Shrek’s story.

Topper Fabregas, as Donkey, is a riot. Zany, physical, and fully committed, he knows exactly how to steal a scene and does so every time he’s onstage. 

Alfredo Reyes’s turn as Lord Farquaad may well be the night’s most sensational performance—his physical comedy, commitment to character, and the ingenious stage trick that makes him appear half his height are all comedy gold. If audiences leave the theater laughing, it’s likely because of Reyes’s unrelenting energy. 

Julia Serad lends a powerful voice to the Dragon, though it’s the puppetry (Kayla Teodoro) that gives the creature its formidable presence.

Go big or go home

If the story’s subtler ideas are overshadowed by the scale of the production, it ultimately works. It is animation made flesh, demonstrating what local musical theater can achieve when it leans into ambition and design.

It’s clear that Santos understood what Shrek the Musical needed to be: a highly entertaining, fully realized spectacle that celebrates imagination. There’s room in the local theater scene for all kinds of work, and this offering is the solid choice if what you’re in the mood for is an extravaganza.

This production is, quite simply, a great time. It’s big, brash, and beautiful in its excess—proof that sometimes, the best thing a show can do is go for broke.

 

Tickets: Php 2000, Php 3000, Php 4000, Php 4500
Show Dates: Oct 31 to Dec 14, 2025
Venue: Newport Performing Arts Theater, Newport Mall, 1309 Newport Blvd, Newport City, Pasay City
Running Time: approx 2 hours and 30 mins (w/ 15 min intermission)
Company: Full House Theater Company
Creatives: David Lindsay-Abaire (book & lyrics), Jeanine Tesori (music), Dexter M. Santos (director), Michael Williams (associate director), Cara Barredo (assistant director), Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (artistic director), Ejay Yatco (musical director), Stephen Viñas (choreographer), Lawyn Cruz (scenic designer), Meliton Roxas (lights designer), GA Fallarme (video projection designer), Eric Pineda (costume execution), Mamarhaye Dela Cruz (hair and make-up designer), Carlos Siongco (prosthetics designer), Kayla Teodoro (puppet designer), Arvy Dimaculagan (sound effects designer), Ceejay Laudato (sound designer), Michael Jacinto (conductor), Rodel Colmenar (musical director and founder of Manila Philharmonic Orchestra)
Cast: Jamie Wilson, Krystal Kane, Topper Fabregas, Alfredo Reyes, Julia Serad, Ring Antonio, Jannah Baniasia, Brianna Bunagan, Miah Canton, Mica Fajardo, Cydel Gabutero, Barbara Jance, Francesca Mata, Liway Perez, Mikaela Regis, Meg Ruiz, Julia Santiago, Abi Sulit-Racho, Jordan Andrews, Al Fritz Blanche, Juancho Gabriel, Francis Gatmaytan, Jep Go, Ian Hermogenes, Lord Kristoffer Logmao, Rapah Manalo, Red Nuestro, Marvin Ong, Jules dela Paz, Luigi Quesada, Franco Ramos, Chesko Rodriguez, Khalil Tambio, Rofe Villarino, Nela Quilloy Cu Unjieng, Tiffany Criss Ching, Althea Ruedas, Daniella Albano, Lois Bersalona, Crystalia Jaya, Simone Valderrama Martinez, Cara Barredo, Nico Dans, Noel Rayos, Yahweh Sangalang, Stephen Viñas, Alyanna Mikaela Wijangco