Shrek the Musical was performed at The Maltings in Ely from Tuesday 3^rd – Saturday 7^th March, a total of six performances. This was the first time Shrek was performed in the area as, at the time, the licence was only recently made available to local groups following its run on Broadway and London’s West End. The show was performed by Viva’s vibrant Youth division. The cast of 40 young performers started the rehearsal period in October 2019 following a rigorous audition process. The show is based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film and is a Tony Award-winning fairy tale adventure. Shrek brings all the beloved characters you know from the film to life on stage, and proves there’s more to the story than meets the ears. Shrek is an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess who resists her rescue. Throw in a short tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude, and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. The role of Shrek was played by Dylan Cardwell who first joined Viva in 2011 to play an ensemble role in West Side Story at Ely Cathedral when he was 11 years old. He says, ‘I loved playing Shrek! It is definitely a challenge figuring out little mannerisms since he is an ogre- which isn’t something I thought I’d ever play before this show! I do really enjoy singing Shrek’s songs.’ Read all about it! Viva’s Shrek the Musical received great reviews from NODA, The Ely Standard and The Cambridge Critique.