One of the island’s oldest theatre companies is hoping that making it onto the big stage this year is not just the stuff of fairy tales.

After several unfortunate, lockdown-enforced delays, the Douglas Choral Union are to bring their epic production of ’Shrek - The Musical’ to the Gaiety Theatre from Saturday, May 1 to Friday, May 7.

The show is a spectacular re-staging of the Broadway musical, based on the famous animated movie about a grumpy ogre, living in the fairy tale world of ’Far-Far Away’, who is forced to team up with a talkative donkey for a quest to rescue a fabled princess.

The entirely local cast features Iain Dixon playing the titular hero, with the non-stop, wisecracking Donkey played by Jonathan Sleight and Dandi Dancox playing the feisty princess Fiona, who harbours a secret of her own.

The large but, at the same time, rather small role of the arch baddie Lord Farquaad will be played by Lorcan O’Mahony.

They will be joined by a host of fairy tale creatures including Pinocchio, played by Lewis Poultney, Tinkerbelle, by Robyn-Mae Lawler and the Three Blind Mice, played by Breeshey Crookall, Julia Bratty and Shay Marsden.

This is the third set of dates announced for the play, after the first schedule was delayed by January’s firebreak lockdown.

Even though the play was set to go ahead during February, the lockdown meant that the cast and crew did not have enough time to get themselves ready.

The rescheduled dates originally had the play opening next Friday, April 23, but this also left the crew will little time to prepare.

However, the show’s director David Dawson said that they were left with little option but to try to get the show on stage as early as they could.

’This really is the last chance saloon, if you like, for us,’ said David.

’The Villa staff have been brilliant in working with us to sort out new dates, but there is only a few periods of time where the cast can all be ready at the same time.

’So we are going to get on with it as soon as we can. Rehearsals started straight away on Monday and we will rehearse every night up until we open.

’As it is, this will be the only musical taking place anywhere in the British Isles.

’We are lucky that we have been at the stage where we were all ready to go any way, so it is just a case of getting together and running through everything again.Everyone has been brilliant, running through their lines at home or in Zoom groups, but it is not the same as being in the same room with everyone.

’Also, this play is being held as part of the 125th anniversary of the Douglas Choral Union. The only time there hasn’t been a DCU show is during the war and we were determined that, come hell or high water, there would be something to help us celebrate this year.

’I hope to see people coming back to the theatre again very soon.’

Tickets for Shrek are priced from £23, with under 16s from £20, available from the Villa gaiety box office, on 600555 or online from www.villagaiety.com

by Mike Wade

Twitter:@iomnewspapers