Monday, March 16, 2009
'Shrek' won't disappoint children
Post Gazette: "'Cartoonish' is usually a mark of condescension. But sometimes a cartoon is just what you want, and I was in cartoon bliss with much of 'Shrek the Musical,' the Broadway version of William Steig's inspired little book and the DreamWorks movies, which is cleverly written in unexpected ways."
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10 comments:
I have always been very cautious of Shrek: the Musical. But this review seems to put it in a better light. Because of this article, and its claim for adult fun, I youtubed some clips of the show. It seems to have some cool effects and projections etc. It seems that someof the more technical aspects of the show make it more enjoyable for audiences of all ages, and provide a mysticism that the other genres of the show just can't.
Like Ariel I had my doubts about the show, but I am happy to hear that it is getting great reviews. I'm sure children will absolutely love it. Hopefully actors like Sutton Foster, keep the tone light and funny. I love that one of the actors is allowed to ad-lib during the show. That ought to keep the cast on their toes and make the show more spontaneous.
I was sad initially that broadway continued to head down the path of disney in the vain of cartoons. But this review reminded me how important it is to get younger generations involved in theatre. Shrek seems to be successful and I am sure it does a great job of opening up children's eye to the magic of theatre - which is awesome.
I'm personally just sick of the cash cow that is Shrek. Like I said a while ago, I've seen and played too many Shrek related things, and honestly just want something new. When I first heard about Shrek: The Musical I thought it was going to try and do what Wicked did with teenagers, and it seems to have done that with little kids. Odd audience, but who am I to judge. The fact that the show is doing well actually surprised me some, given the economy right now I guess I was guessing that the shows meant for the younger audiences might not be around for long.
While we might frown on the artistic integrity of such work, the fact that it is bringing theatre to the younger generations in nothing but good. They will become the future of theatre (and, well, everything else too) and to provide a production that they can grasp is really important
I guess you should just ask yourself: what is your target audience. They seem to be doing fine in that regards, so thats fine.
I think Jacob has the right idea as far as Broadway is concerned at the moment. Because of the economy, theaters are unwilling to produce anything that they are not already positive is going to appeal to the audience. Shrek was a perfect example of this, and apparently did a good job of translating onto the stage. Although I'm still wanting to see more original pieces in the future, I'm glad that this article portrayed Shrek in a positive light.
I agree with Sarah when she says that it is important to keep in mind how important it is to get younger audiences interested in theatre. It is no secret that kids these days are highly influenced by television and movies, and shows have to cater to these interests if they hope to attract and audience.
I think that in a time when topics for musicals are scarce and people are not interested in the heavy hitting drama which reflects so much of whats going on today, that Shrek is a prfect, stress free form of entertainment. No shame.
I agree with many others with the idea of keeping young audiences involved in theatre. Though the artistic elements may not be the highest, the carefree environment and cartoon relevance should keep the younger audience interested.
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