Let Your Freak Flag Fly

I'm a little sad Shrek is closing in January. I'm not surprised, but I hoped the show would hang on a little longer. It's a solid, heartfelt show that's edgier than the movie in many ways. The seediness of the fairy tale characters alone is enough to make it not a kids' show, although it's certainly one slightly older kids and teenagers would enjoy.

What impressed me about Shrek was its intelligence. From wisely replacing the film's many pop culture references with theatrical ones to David Lindsay-Abaire's clever yet entirely character-appropriate lyrics, Shrek creates a full world I could believe exists off as well as onstage--and it does this without talking down to its audience or lazily relying on people's familiarity with the film.

It's also got a straightforward yet actually kind of insightful message: that being yourself and having a community are sometimes one and the same. Unlike Wicked, which encourages audience members who don't fit in to reject their community, Shrek suggests that celebrating your individuality can actually help you fit in--when the group in question is made up of similiar misfits, at least. I think that's a more mature way to deal with not being able to relate to mainstream culture. There are plenty of times where cutting ties with those around you and being on your own can be healthier, but humans are inherently social, and cultivating a me-vs.-the world mentality is pretty negative. Shrek is assurance that no matter what kind of a freak you are, you'll find other freaks to accept you.