Lord of the Rings on Stage
Image taken from lotr.com
With the success of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings film trilogy, it was thought by many fans that no other medium could contain the epic scope of J.R.R. Tolkien’s tale. However, fans overlooked the theatre. Stage had been a go-to medium for many fantasy novels that had not yet made it to the big screen. For example, The Chronicles of Narnia was adapted to stage many years prior to the release of the 2005 film. The Lord of the Rings had been adapted to stage in three parts at a Cincinnati theater. These performances were given mixed reviews for their originality and work in puppetry and props. Up north in Toronto, a full-fledged musical was being made from the books. The show opened to poor reviews and soon left the stage.
The show was later rewritten and opened in London’s West End theater. The show contained millions of dollars worth of sets, props, costumes, and effects. Also, actors performed musical numbers in order to advance the story for it to be told in a three-hour show. The show opened to mixed reviews, yet audiences were stunned. They praised the concept of putting a whole new world on stage. The show stayed in London for over a year before it was cancelled and soon will be embarking on a global tour.
