REVIEW: Shrek the Musical at Grand Opera House, York

Laced with West End craft and detail, peppered with segments of riotous fun, a wonderful score and some glorious tunes, director Damien Poole has ensured the all-dancing musical comedy is given the treatment it deserves here.

Poole’s presence means Nik Briggs - the company’s usual director - can take on other roles and, in this instance, that means returning to acting and bringing all his gravitas to the titular character.

Briggs is a brilliant Shrek, capturing many of the original film version’s idiosyncrasies but making his own stamp, too, nailing his solos with aplomb and visually aided by some high-class prosthetics.

With Chris Knight’s wonderfully sassy Donkey in tow, their chemistry is spot on as they embark on their quest to rescue Princess Fiona, played by a perfectly-cast Jacqueline Bell.

Witty and effervescent, there is as much in the script for the elder generation as the obvious kids audience, and it is hard not to be charmed.

As old as it is, I defy anyone not to be chuckling along as Princess Fiona pulls Shrek’s finger for a bottom burp in their hilarious belching and burping duet

“I Think I Got You Beat”.

One highlight, though, is Joe Wawrzyniak’s dastardly, slimey Lord Farquaad, mooching around on his knees due to the character’s distinct lack of height and armed both with flailing puppetry legs and a wicked turn of phrase.

At times, Wawrzyniak almost even channels a bit of Rick Mayall’s Richard Richard as he reaches peak putrid mode and it is a delight.

Staging and styling the dragon in Shrek is always a challenge but that is achieved magnificently here to the extent some younger members of the audience may well have thought this fairytale really was coming to life.

With Emily Ramsden’s stunning voice, too, and the skill of the on-stage puppeteers, it is a masterstroke.

What a treat, too, to see so many familiar fairytale characters come to the show.

Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Humpty Dumpty and the Sugarplum Fairy - try picking them all out when they arrive en masse - flourish but it is the 12 tap-dancing rats who steal this part of the show.

With an orchestra of 15 players, directed by Stephen Hackshaw, the production does not fail and the singalong Monkees’ classic I’m A Believer has everyone heading home cheered no end.