Customer Reviews

Shrek: The Musical

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Right off the top, Shrek-the Musical doesn't have the best music but its'entertaining and good enough and is blessed with clever, and slyly witty lyrics. I rated this 5 stars because the overall CD is fun-a whole lotta fun.

Brian D'Arcy James as Shrek starts the show with the ironic "Big, Beautiful World" with his powerful voice but my only quibble with him would be that, with his spoken dialogue he sounds to be imitating Mike Myers. Sutton Foster as Fiona is a delight and she has one of those cartoony scenes with the heroine walking through a forest communing with the animals and in the cheerful song "Morning Person" and in the described but unsung antics, she channels her inner ogre.
Christopher Seiber as Lord Farquaad,a taller man in his own mind has two funny songs, "What's Up Duloc" and "The Ballad of Farquaad".
Daniel Breaker as Donkey has a tough act to follow in Eddie Murphy and I suppose you have to see his portrayal in person to fully appreciate his performance but he shares a duet with The Dragon where the dragon threatens to turn him into "Donkey Pot Pie".

Another number that scores is "I Know It's Today" where Princess Fiona along with Young Fiona and Teen Fiona each relate how their lives were shaped by stories they read in fairy tales.

Another funny song is "I Think I Got You Beat" where Shrek and Fiona compete with each other about how each of them had a worse life.

This CD is highly entertaining and enjoyable and can't wait to see the show and see the antics from both the story and the songs.

Shrek the Musical accomplishes what many adapted musicals fail to do: it remains true to it's source material, but manages to become a work all of its own.
A few of the songs are a little cumbersome, but Brian D'Arcy James is inspired as Shrek, and of couse Sutton Foster is perfection. I would buy a CD of her singing warm-up scales!!
This is a perfect addition for any music library!

The score was serviceable in the theatre and rather enjoyable in the context of the show. However once I listened to the cast album at home I realized how lackluster the songs really are and how better the show could have been had they been more melodic. I loved Tesori's additional songs for "Thoroughly Modern Millie", thought she did a great job with "Caroline or Change" and have always admired her score for "Violet" but ultimately was disappointed with "Shrek The Musical". I'll give it a few more listens but doubt it will ever be something I'll play much.

We were blessed to see the show in NYC last month, and were disappointed that we couldn't purchase the music at that time. We were so excited to know that in just a few weeks it would be available. We listen to this all the time! I have a teenage boy and younger son - and the cd is amazing. We loved the show, no surprise that we love the cd!

I have enjoyed this musical a lot and so do the kids. The story follows the movie (Shrek 1) exactly. The music is upbeat and funny at times. Donkey has a really funny song. I particularly like the Shrek - Fiona duets.

I loved the songs on this disc. They were offbeat, just like the movie. Probably, my favorite was either Big Bright Beautiful World or I Think I Got You Beat. The CD does a good job of promoting the show; after listening to it, I wanted to go to Broadway and see it. Must buy.

Just so there are no surprises, the copy I got (from Borders; sorry Amazon) was in a cardboard fold out case, with the disc and booklet housed in separate sleeves. It's bad; the disc ain't going anywhere and the case looks no weaker than a normal CD case. It was just surprising. It seems to be some sort of packaging that's more environmentally friendly. Nice case, with plenty of pictures inside.

When was the last time you heard a score and thought, "I have to see this show"? "Shrek: The Musical" is a show I'd been planning to see (one of these days), but on the strength of this cast album, I ran right out and got a ticket. When I first heard about the project, I figured the songs would be generic, mildly clever, interchangeable pop tunes, but lyricist David Lindsay-Abaire and composer Jeanine Tesori have exceeded my wildest expectations. This is a traditional Broadway score that tells the story in song, developing plot and defining character in unique, memorable ways. (In this respect alone, "I Think I Got You Beat" -- a clever "Rent" homage -- is one of the most perfectly constructed theater songs of the past decade.) The tunes are fresh, fun and a testament to Tesori's skills at writing in multiple genres; and the lyrics are simply superb: sharp, surprising and laugh-out-loud hilarious. As for the performances, there isn't a dud in the bunch. If you're a fan of "Avenue Q," "Urinetown" and David Yazbek's witty scores, I think you're going to love this album.

I am SO disappointed with this CD. I payed a lot of money for it trusting the talents of the great cast and the good story.

I did not like Miss Jeanine Tesori's score for "Caroline or Change" for the music was everywhere. In my opinion she did exactly the same thing here. The music goes everywhere and leads you nowhere! There are some cute melodies, but nothing that sticks to your ear or leaves you humming or whistling after its over.

...Nothing.

David Lindsay-Abaire's lyrics, though, are very clever and don't deserve the poor music they were matched with. I didn't like some over repeated words belted out purposelessly and endlessly in various themes. Eddie Murphy did it on the movie. Remember? -"I believe, I believe, I believe...". But it was Eddie Murphy and only ONCE!! ...At the end of the picture!!!

I think it's a waste of wonderful Broadway talent such as: BRIAN d'ARCY JAMES, SUTTON FOSTER, CHRISTOPHER SIEBER, DANIEL BREAKER and JOHN TARTAGLIA which are enough to make a wonderful show. And they do their best on the CD. Their performances are flawless.

It is, after all, a MUSICAL and the music should be on the same level, or even higher, than the performers that perform it. But it is NOT. I am so sorry that this beloved film-turned-into -a-Musical lacks good music to go with the story.

I hadn't seeing the show, but I sure hope that the stars on stage every night make it a long run on Broadway!!

I saw the musical and listened to the cast recording CD in the same week.

I really like musicals, and I had high hopes for "Shrek The Musical", it is based on a movie I really like. My experience: The costumes were outrageously rich. The plot and dancing were fun. I even laughed at the fart jokes. The show could have been really great....except for the music. For a "musical", that is a big "except".

The pacing and format of the music in "Shrek The Musical" reminded me more of the musicals we put on in high school than the big Broadway shows that were the highlights of the '00s. So, the comparison group is hard to keep up with-- "Wicked", "Mama Mia","Jersey Boys". I listen to the sound tracks of all three, a lot. If the cast recordings for "Wicked" and "Mama Mia" are 10 on a 1-10 scale, and "Jersey Boys" is an 8 and "Spamalot" and "Avenue Q" are 6 to 7, "Shrek the Musical" cast recording is a 3-4.

"Shrek The Musical" has music that is..well...only kinda there... varying between trite and boring and gimmicky and too wordy. Nothing awful--just nothing excellent, no stand-out tunes; no memorable songs. Too bad.

Why three stars? The lead voices were wonderful. It is fun for children. (I wish there were songs they could sing after listening to the show.)

I LOVE this musical and my friends who have listened to it are just as passionate about it! The music is absolutely seamless into the storyline and it makes you forget the original film wasn't a musical. Great job, well done!