Shrek as presented by Nenagh Choral Society Youth Academy

Nenagh Choral Society Youth Academy 

Shrek the Musical 

Friday 4th October 2024 

It is hard to put into words how impressed I was by the cast of ‘Shrek the Musical’ which played at the Scouts’ Hall in Nenagh. This group is everything that AIMS should be proud of. What a joy it was to witness over fifty young people, performing to a phenomenally high standard, being expertly guided by a homegrown director/choreographer and doing so against a backdrop of excellent production values. 

Front of house was a classy affair, with exceptionally friendly ushers, formally dressed, ensuring that everyone was looked after in a most efficient and welcoming manner. The bustling foyer, bedecked in green and buzzing with excitement, set the tone for the fabulous production to come. 

Director, Stephanie Browne, did an excellent job on this most endearing production, which was brim full of heart, warmth and comedy throughout. Ms. Browne’s attention to the narrative detail was wonderful and she ensured that every cast member knew exactly what was going on at every turn. Attention to detail was everywhere to be seen, from the excellent props to the exquisite set, to the stunning costume plot. Nothing was left to chance in a production that was fast-paced and exceptionally slick from beginning to end. 

Ms. Browne’s choreography was equally impressive. Not only were the quirky numbers brilliantly executed by a very skilled ensemble, they were also infused with comic business aplenty and every cast member was in on the joke. This was never clearer than in the brilliantly performed ‘Freak Flag’, which showcased this company’s dancing skills at their very best. The ‘Morning Person’ rat tap dance, with a nod to 42nd Street’s iconic opening, was clever and hilarious to boot. 

Mary-Rose McNally was Musical Director for the show and her orchestra was clearly comprised of excellent musicians. The sound was big and the band was rockin’! However, they were far too loud in the brassier numbers, often drowning out soloists, harmonies and underscored dialogue. Over amplification of the brass section appeared to be an issue and I felt that more work needed to be done with the sound department to ensure that performers could be heard. Principal singing was of a very high standard throughout. Ensemble vocals were also top-notch particularly in the big production numbers like ‘Freak Flag’ and the brilliant finale number. 

Stephen Keegan gave a very nuanced performance as the titular character, showing us that ogres do, indeed, have layers. Mr. Keegan treated us to layers of anger, determination, hope, despair and love in what must have been a dream role for him to play. Every single fibre of his being was invested in the role. He had a wonderfully studied physicality, inhabiting the lumbering, gentle giant with apparent ease. Mr. Keegan was completely invested in every movement, every facial expression and every puff of wind broken. But above all, Mr. Keegan was funny. Hilariously so. He nailed the slapstick antics just as well as the subtle humour in what was an excellent comic performance. What a great voice Mr. Keegan had too. ‘Who I’d Be’ showcased his beautiful tone and was a standout moment of the show. 

Gráinne Scullane gave us a most endearing interpretation of Princess Fiona. It was the first time seeing the show that I truly felt the inherent sadness of the character’s imprisonment in a tower for two decades. This was very much down to Ms. Scullane’s beautifully subtle handling of the emotional elements of her character. Her singing was equally good. ‘Morning Person’ was a vocal and comic treat, and she really showed her vocal chops in ‘I Think I Got You Beat’. 

The wise-cracking Donkey was played with a deft comic touch by the very talented Jayden Guilfoyle. Mr. Guilfoyle made this role his own with a brilliant fusion of sarcastic charm and comic timing that, at only seventeen years of age, belied his youth. His physicality was superb and his energy levels were off the charts. He also boasted a powerful, melodic voice, especially in his very funny rendition of ‘Don’t Let Me Go’. 

Adam Carroll was another extremely talented seventeen-year-old, in the role of the pint-sized Lord Farquaad. His comic timing was exceptionally good, and he drew on a never-ending arsenal of facial expressions that would have left Jim Carrey in the ha’penny place. He was more than able to belt out a tune too and his ‘What’s Up Duloc?’, with a brilliant ensemble supporting, was one of the show’s many highlights. 

Just when we thought that Nenagh’s talent pool must surely be running dry, we were treated to a simply brilliant performance from Cleo Griffin as she breathed vocal life into an impressively imposing and superbly operated Dragon. ‘Forever’ was powerful, controlled and seemed almost effortless. The standout vocal performance of the show, for me. 

A very talented Eamon Coffey gave everything to the role of Pinocchio, fully committing himself to the challenging physicality and stratospheric vocal register of his delivery. The shrillness of that delivery occasionally affected clarity of diction. Mr. Coffey was superb in the brilliantly performed ‘Freak Flag’. 

Erin Burke gave an unforgettable singing performance as Gingy and ‘trebled up’ by adding Sugar Plum Fairy and an hilarious vocal turn as Bluebird to an already extremely impressive CV. Her stunning riffs in ‘Freak Flag’ excellently delivered. 

Isobel McLeish did a great job playing Fairy Godmother. She also joined the wonderful Ellen O’Sullivan as Young Fiona and Ms. Scullane for a beautiful rendition of the heartfelt ‘I Know it’s Today’. 

Killian Forde had a busy night playing Papa Ogre, Papa Bear and Bishop. It was great to see his versatility as he skilfully jumped from one character to the next. 

Katelyn Carson doubled up as Mamma Ogre and Mama Bear. As the latter, she knocked her solo out of the park in ‘Freak Flag’, with a powerful, soaring delivery and exquisitely tasty riffs. 

Kaedan Hogan Long was a fine Young Shrek and gave us a lovely comic turn as Farquaad’s father, Grumpy. 

This was a wonderful ensemble performance. Nobody’s face dropped at any point. Again, full credit to Ms. Browne for instilling such wonderful performance levels and a strong sense of stagecraft in her very talented company. 

Set design was exceptionally good. The stunning preset, beautifully lit in a green wash through atmospheric haze, presented us with the most realistic looking swamp imaginable. It was almost cinematic in appearance. Perfectly textured trees, rocks, flora and fauna gave a very authentic look to what would continue to be a visual feast for the rest of the show. The printed side flats were incredibly effective. All of the set pieces were so well finished, especially Fiona’s tower. Perfectly chosen projections added amazing depth. 

Stage Managers Rachel Browne, Máire Long and Philip Talbot marshalled an extremely efficient crew whose transitions were slick and seamless at all times. They were aided throughout by the director’s clever use of lighting to isolate action downstage whilst scene changes happened upstage. This ensured that the show rattled along at a frenetic pace, with scene changes ‘magically’ appearing as one scene dissolved to reveal another. 

Kudos must be given to the props department for their amazing attention to detail. Not a thing was out of place, nor anything left to chance. Fiona’s book for ‘I Know it’s Today’ was just perfect. The fact that someone decided to place a green blanket in the tower rather than any other colour, was deliciously appealing to my inner nerd. And the onion, which could be a throwaway prop (pun intended!), was so well made. As for the bluebird puppet…just wow! Attention to detail is often the difference between a good show and a great show. Well done team. 

A visually stunning and dynamic lighting design was key to enhancing the make-believe world inhabited by the story’s displaced fairytale characters. With the exception of one minor glitch, excellent timing of operation meant that the show’s many visual highlights were brilliantly captured. One of the most magical moments was the dragon’s reveal which had everything thrown at it from a lighting point of view. I would have liked more face light for ‘Travel Song’ but I appreciate that there were likely unavoidable issues with upstage positioning which affected this. A small point in what was a really top-class design and operation. 

Sound design needed attention, in my opinion. Mr. Keegan’s mic did not appear to be EQ’d correctly on the night that I attended. His dialogue sounded tinny and lacked fullness and warmth. The many sound effects were excellent and were superbly timed. Timing for Shrek and Fiona’s fart-off/burp-off added greatly to the hilarious onstage business. I felt that overamplification of the orchestra led to a significant imbalance between stage and pit. There was great balance between vocal parts in the bigger ensemble numbers however, where the tight harmonies were clearly heard. 

There aren’t enough superlatives to describe how good the costume plot was for this show. The programme didn’t credit the source of the myriad costumes but the visual impact was an absolute delight. With over fifty performers, and multiple changes for many, the coordination of costumes for this show was a mammoth undertaking. Shrek’s iconic tartan trousers, Farquaad’s amazing little costume complete with tiny legs, the stunning silver sequins for the tap dancing rats and the multiple fairytale characters’ detailed looks were just stunning. But it was the Duloc dancers and the precise uniformity of their red, blue and yellow outfits (a clever swipe at a certain Disney princess, no doubt) which impressed the most. Bravo! 

Make-up and hair provided yet another visual feast. Shrek’s iconic look was perfectly recreated with the aid of facial prosthetics and the most incredible pair of ogre hands. I’d say Mr. Keegan is still scrubbing his green make-up off. Again, attention to detail was everywhere, from the witch’s prosthetic proboscus to Pinocchio’s elongating nose and his make-up tying in with his costume design. There was great uniformity in the Duloc dancers’ wigs and Farquaad’s wig was just perfect. Similarly, there was excellent work done to create every single fairytale character; far too many to mention individually here. A stunning job.

There is something really special happening in Nenagh and I can only assume that director/choreographer Stephanie Browne has an awful lot to do with that. This was a visually stunning, excellently directed and choreographed show which showcased exceptional talent across the board. The fact that most of the performers were still in their teens didn’t matter to me in the slightest. This cast transcended their youth. They were that good. Don’t take my word for it. If you have never attended a Nenagh Choral Society Youth Academy show before, make it your business to do so. You will thank me. 

Pat McElwain 

Gilbert Adjudicator 2024/2025

Some photos kindly provided by the society; Photos by Elizabeth Floyd.