The Lord Of The Rings
Watermill Theatre, Newbury 2023
Book and Lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus
Music by A.R. Rahman, Värttinä with Christopher Nightingale
Directed by Paul Hart
Designed by Simon Kenny, Choreography by Anjali Mehra
Lighting by Rory Beaton, Sound by Adam Fisher
Puppetry Direction by Ashleigh Cheadle, Puppet design by Charlie Tymms
Musical Supervision by Mark Aspinall
Video and Projection designed by George Reeves
Opened August 1st 2023
A Watermill Theatre production in association with Kevin Wallace Limited
and MiddleEarth Enterprises
“…as well as being extraordinarily exuberant and inclusive, this production has found its time and purpose too. Tolkien would have been so proud.”
(WhatsOnStage.com)
Cast
Louis Maskell (Frodo), Nuwan Hugh Perera (Sam Gamgee), Matthew Bugg (Gollum), Peter Marinker (Gandalf), Aaron Sidwell (Aragorn), Georgia Louise (Galadriel), Amelia Gabriel (Pippin), Geraint Downing (Merry), Peter Dukes (Boromir), Yazdan Qafouri (Legolas), Folarin Akinmade (Gimli), Aoife O’Dea (Arwen), Tom Giles (Saruman/Elrond), John O’Mahony (Bilbo), Elliot Mackenzie, Reece Causton, Sioned Saunders, Kelly Coughlin, Charlotte Grayson, Bridget Lappin
“Aficionados should not be disappointed in Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus’s adaptation of the book (also lyrics)”
“Tolkien wrote his books to provide British readers with an alternative mythology for their country. Ultimately this production (set against the rural landscape which so inspired him) feels less like a blockbuster spectacular, and more like a heartfelt, almost pagan, interpretation of that mythology – and I can think of no finer praise than that.”
“This extraordinary retelling at the Watermill Theatre draws its audience into the narrative like no other medium I have experienced. The story is told with such clarity and verve, you won’t get lost on the epic journey, adapted for the stage by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus and directed here by Paul Hart.”
““The Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale” is little short of a miracle... Everyone, I’d like to think, who sees this adaptation at The Watermill will agree that they could see it again. And again.”
“This spectacle of compression, by aiming small, brings big rewards.”
“Precious moments of magic”
“Any reservations disappear as the night reaches its enchanting climax”
“The Lord of the Rings is one of the most innovative pieces of theatre you can get your hands on outside of London. ”
“A theatrical coup”
“Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus take all the classic elements of the story and make the necessary tweaks to adapt it for the stage. It obviously means certain subplots and sequences are lost, but instead we are left with a snappy story that flows quickly from start to finish, never coming up for breath. With a knowledge of what works for the stage, the story of The Lord of the Rings is given new life in a form that works surprisingly well.”
“What the Watermill has managed to achieve is nothing short of a miracle. In that intimate space, they have produced an epic show. At times it is jaw-dropping. At others funny, moving or chilling and creepy. Everyone involved should feel proud of what they have achieved... This is how to do an actor-musician show. All in all, this is a phenomenal production... I would give it six stars if I could”
