Dean Chisnall is currently playing the title role in Shrek The Musical on tour around the UK. It’s a role that has been a large part of his life for a while now. Douglas Mayo discovered the challenges of taking on the part and realised that it’s not easy being green!
How long have you been playing the role of Shrek?
By the time I’ve finished doing my stint in the show, which will be in February, I’ll have been doing the show for five years. There was a short gap between the West End and on tour, but I think I’ve had the green stuff on my face now about a thousand times! It’s best not to think about it! I can’t complain
What was it like the first time you went on as Shrek?
I covered the role in the West End for the first twelve months (I played a pig in the ensemble and various other characters) and I was thrown on at the last minute at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. There was a fire alarm and two thousand audience members had to file out. Nigel Lindsay lost his voice at the same time (he shouldn’t have gone on and had been struggling during that show), and I was told I was going on for Shrek during the fire alarm. It was possibly one of the scariest experiences of my life, but I got through it and I’d done my homework so I was ok.
What do you do to prepare for the role each day?
Most people don’t realise the preparation that is needed to become Shrek for each performance. I go in each day at about 4pm and have a two hour make up session (see below), followed by a vocal warm up and then the costume takes another half hour to get on, so the process just to create Shrek takes about 2.5 hours. That’s the exhaustive thing really, it’s just hard to focus and keep the energy going during that 2.5 hours.
We know that you’re inside the fact suit somewhere, as an actor do you have to compensate or over-exaggerate to overcome the makeup?
When I’m Shrek there’s a different walk and way of presenting yourself. It’s very different from me as Dean the actor. It’s incredibly hot inside the suit, you tend to peak just prior to the end of the first act and then you coast through the rest of the show.
Do you have a favourite moment in the show?
I do. It’s a poignant and beautiful moment just before the end of Act One where he sings a song called Who I’d Be. In that song Shrek, for the first and probably the only time until we see him at the wedding, bares his soul and realises that he would like to be not necessarily normal, but realises that he is missing out on certain things in life. He opens up for the first time, and when the curtain goes down at the end of it, everything is up in the air. It’s such a beautifully written song.
The show talks about not conforming to expectations and being an individual. What sort of feedback do you get from audiences? Do they pick up on the show’s message?
No doubt about it. It surprises people who weren’t expecting that element. When you watch the film you get swept away and have a good giggle, but I think the show is more moving and has a bigger message. It’s ok to be different. We live in a very image obsessed world, and people come along and get a refreshing story with Shrek. When we get to the number Freak Flag at the end of the second act they go wild. After the show people are genuinely touched and comment that their kids have learned a lesson about tolerance, and that it is ok to be different.
Quite genuinely, the reason that I’m still playing the part five years later is that is really entertaining, sometimes more for the adults than the kids in my opinion because of the humour ,and it’s not remotely offensive. The kids come along and have a great time and see a thirty foot dragon, the adults get swept away with the other stuff, but everyone is getting the same message. It’s really nice to get such a positive reaction.
You’re from Ormskirk and I’ve heard you talk previously about starting out in acting. Is there any advice you’d give to any younger person thinking of a career as an actor?
I knew nothing to be honest. What I did was to get involved in as many things as I could and that is really the only advice I can give. Get involved in the local school show, or with a local amateur group, it doesn’t have to be big. The realisation came with age that I quite fancied having a bash at this. I came to acting quite late in coming to London and starting. I was twenty. There’s no right or wrong way though, it’s never too late, just follow your dream and follow what you want to do you will get there, but its hard work. I will always say that as the caveat at the end. I don’t think that people think it’s easy, but I think people might think it’s easier than it is.. and it’s certainly not.
You played a range of roles from Gary Barlow in Never Forget to Shrek. Do you have a favourite role?
It’s really difficult to compare. Never Forget and Shrek are very different shows and I was very lucky to play the lead role in both. I had a complete scream playing Gary Barlow in Never Forget and it was a hoot, it really was. The audience reaction was fantastic but Shrek is very different. To be honest Shrek is not really traditional musical theatre either, to compare the two and pick a favourite is really hard. I think it’s very special to have your first part but to play the eponymous character at Drury Lane is pretty special. I can’t compare, but I know I’ve been really lucky. I’ve been out of college for just over ten years and I’ve done some lovely things.
When I left college I worried I’d never get work and then I found myself playing a pop star and then a big fat ogre and I sit wondering how it ever happened. There is a reason for everything but I’m yet to find out what it is, it is a very weird life.
Shrek continues its UK Tour. Find out more here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVwSDCQD2qc
