Enjoy Celebrity Radio’s Lord of the Rings Musical review….
The Lord of the Rings is the most prominent of several theatre adaptations of J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic high fantasy novel of the same name, set in his world of Middle-earth, including music by A. R. Rahman, Christopher Nightingale, and the band Värttinä, with book and lyrics by Matthew Warchus and Shaun McKenna.
The Lord of the Rings tells the tale of a humble hobbit who is asked to play the hero and undertake a treacherous mission to destroy an evil, magic ring without being seduced by its power.
The show was first performed in 2006 and will be revived for a world tour in 2015
Alex Belfield went to meet Malcolm Story @ The Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London……
The London production, which starred London’s original Mary Poppins Laura Michelle Kelly as Galadriel, received mixed reviews. The Times called it “a brave, stirring, epic piece of popular theatre” and The Guardian gave the show a four star rating, calling it “a hugely impressive production”.
While the Toronto version was dubbed “Bored of The Rings”, the London production was labelled by The Sun as “Flawed of The Rings”.
However, it proved popular with audiences, being nominated for 7 Whatsonstage Theatregoer’s Choice Awards in 2007 and 5 Olivier Awards in 2008, including book and lyrics, lighting (Paul Pyant), sets and costumes (both Rob Howell) and sound.
Abbie Osman later replaced Kelly as Galadriel on February 4, 2008. On June 19, 2008, many of the original cast members left the production, having not extended their contracts for the final month. They were all replaced by their respective understudies.
The production took its final bow on July 19, 2008, after 492 performances over a 13-month run
Recorded 2006 @ West End, London by Alex Belfield for Celebrity Radio.
