Character guide
Lord Farquaad
from Shrek The Musical
Lord Farquaad is the comic villain of Shrek The Musical, the 2008 Broadway show with music by Jeanine Tesori, playing a supporting but scene-stealing role.
- Show
- Shrek The Musical
- Broadway premiere
- 2008
- Role
- Supporting
- Music by
- Jeanine Tesori
Lord Farquaad: from the film to Broadway
Broadway compared with the 2001 DreamWorks film
The musical gives Lord Farquaad a family secret the film never had: Grumpy, one of the Seven Dwarfs, reveals he is Farquaad's father and kicked him out at age 28 when he would not move out of the basement. On stage, the character's short stature is played live: Christopher Sieber, who originated the role on Broadway in 2008 and earned a Tony nomination, performed on his knees with tiny fake legs dangling in front of him.
John Lithgow voiced Farquaad in the 2001 DreamWorks film, where Dragon crashes the wedding and devours him. On stage Dragon incinerates him with her fiery breath instead. In London, Nigel Harman won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Role in a Musical as Farquaad.
Who is Lord Farquaad?
Farquaad is the vain, image-obsessed ruler of Duloc who sets the plot in motion by banishing fairy tale creatures from his kingdom and sending Shrek to fetch Princess Fiona as his bride. His obsession with appearances and control makes him the perfect foil for a story about accepting difference, and his comic pettiness keeps the show's tone light even as he drives the central conflict.
Despite limited stage time compared to the leads, Farquaad's exaggerated self-importance and memorable staging choices have made him one of the most talked-about characters in the show.
Playing Farquaad on stage
This is a supporting role built almost entirely around physical comedy, since Farquaad is traditionally staged with a distinctive, exaggerated silhouette that requires the actor to perform on their knees for the majority of the show. It demands precise comic timing, strong stamina, and a willingness to commit fully to a broad, larger-than-life villain.
Audiences love Farquaad because he is funny rather than frightening, a small man with big ambitions whose downfall provides one of the show's most satisfying comic payoffs.
Lord Farquaad: frequently asked questions
What show is Lord Farquaad from?
Lord Farquaad appears in Shrek The Musical, which opened on Broadway in 2008.
Is Lord Farquaad a lead or supporting role?
Lord Farquaad is a supporting role, though a highly memorable one.
Who wrote the music for Shrek The Musical?
Jeanine Tesori composed the score for Shrek The Musical.
Think you can name today's mystery character in eight guesses?
Play today's Character GuesserMore characters from Shrek The Musical
More characters with music by Jeanine Tesori
Shrek The Musical show guideMusical theatre characters A to Z