THE LORD OF THE RINGS musical is back?! | first revival of the legendary flop, the Watermill Theatre

[@Vcowley]

The actor had his leg squashed because the UK version removed the safety strips that we had on the scissor lifts on the set in Toronto. As a crew member from the beginning of the build in Toronto, feel free to ask me questions about the original production if you like.

[@theol3796]

During the Toronto run how reliable would you say the effects were?

[@RaspberrySparkles]

I saw the show a ridiculous number of times when it was on originally, and I'll always defend it! I wasn't a fan of the films/books, but as a show I LOVED IT. They did so much with it - Gollum climbing down the curtain, the fake interval where the orcs came and freaked everyone out, the 15 minutes before it started and the hobbits were in the audience catching fireflies. The visuals were insane, and the cast were so talented. I've seen so many shows and have always said if there was a way to bring back an exact show that's closed, I would pick this! Definitely want to go to this!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

When I saw it, when the orcs came out for the fake intermission, it was so funny! A lady in front of us wound up in her neighbor's lap, because they scared her (she was on the aisle), and someone tried to use the bathroom, and got surprised/scared by the orcs both at their seat, and at the exit. 😂

[@RaspberrySparkles]

@@LadyRebeccaFashions Yes! It was always hilarious!

[@PaulBenjaminUK]

This is really exciting news.. I saw the London production on the closing night and wow, whilst it may have been a commercial flop, the epic scale and spectacle that was brought to life on stage was something I’d never experienced before nor have since. The score is breathtaking and hope that this remains unchanged for the revival and hope that the essence of the sheer magic is recreated to a new audience by the Watermill, it certainly seems an ambitious project to mount.

[@chrisbullPiano]

Ooh PaulBenjamin i was at closing night too. The atmosphere was amazing, and so many people crying during the closing speeches. This is sooo one of my favourites which i’ve been dying for someone to bring back for years 🥳🥳

[@deeplyshalllow8967]

Watermill is my local theatre and I am so excited. I've actually seen two shows that have used their garden, one was Camelot - which was wonderfully done including Lancelot's introduction being him singing on the roof of the theatre and the duels being done on hobby horses - it had been advertised as a concert but it was 100% so much more. The other show I saw outside was Ackborne's house and garden, which is two plays being put on by the same actors (and character) at the same time, the audience either sit inside watching house or outside watching garden, and the actors move between the two (and then most people obviously go and see what's happening by watching the other play). That was also ambitious and amazing and a lot of fun. So yeah, mad excited about this (and privileged to live so near!)

[@andrewstorm8240]

It’s mine as well but how will they squeeze it in

[@beltingtokra]

Fun fact: the LotR cast recording was my exam revision jam for my a levels. 😅

[@LunaAMorticia]

I'm only part way into the video, but I am so excited by this news. I never saw the original, but I absolutely love the music. Galadriel's songs are some of my absolute favourites to sing.

[@marmartin9822]

Omg this was the first big professional musical I saw! I was like 10 and it blew my mind and I still have some confetti scraps that flew into the audience in the balrog scene. I remember thinking it was some kind of screen effect until I reached out and caught one! It showed me what theatre could be and ignited my passion for the stage! I don’t even live in the UK (I saw it in Toronto) and I’m hyped!

[@LadyRebeccaFashions]

I feel so lucky that I got to see it in the West End back in 2008. It just happened to align with my family trip to the UK. The set was the most remarkable set I probably will ever see - it doesn't surprise me that it was also quite dangerous, but seeing them actually climb mountains onstage was so cool, and the way the elves came down on silks, and the ents had the most enormous stilts -- it was really incredible. I also love a lot of the music, but it is so wonderfully scored that I don't see how it will work without an immense orchestra. To me, the only thing that was really lacking in the original was that some of the actors' performances were a bit lackluster (though others, like Sam, were brilliant). It is very cool to me that someone is bringing back this show, and I'm excited to hear what you think of it once you go see it!

[@SherlockedStorytellr]

Get @WaitintheWings on that documentary-length explanation that this historic flop deserves! (Unless he's already done it and I missed it somehow, I've only just discovered his channel and I'm loving it so far!) But you did a great job, I love the footage you found. Also, omg samesies on the Legolas poster on the bedroom door xD So excited about this even if it's too far away for me to see. I hope you go and see it and tell us all about it.

[@april5897]

Ahhhh I'm so excited!!! I saw this musical on my first visit to England back when I was 11 or so years old! It was also my first time seeing a proper on-stage musical- my family are all huge LOTR fans, so when we saw the posters for it in London we bought tickets straight away. I still remember it as one of the best theater experiences I have ever had! There was a huge tree as a part of the set design with roots spreading out everywhere- even near the seats on the second floor (which is where I was)- and I remember the actors who played Merry and Pippin hanging out in the seats before the show started and goofing off in character, and they kept trying to climb the tree roots. When the orcs came out a lot of them had on those jumping stilts- so the fight scenes were like these wild acrobatic performances, and the orcs would run around through the audience as well and snarl at people! The Lothlorien scenes were my personal favorites as they were so striking- with tons of rope dancers twirling down from the ceiling and just the most gorgeous music. We bought the soundtrack afterwards and my sister and I would listen to it all the time growing up! Adaptation-wise, I think this musical was one where the hobbits felt the most like hobbits. They were peppy, they would sing and dance (they had Frodo actually sing his song in the Praincing Pony and dance on the tables!!! It was so great!!!), and their representation felt really true to the books for me. I am so excited to see what they do for this new version!!! I'll need to get to the UK sometime this year to see it!

[@storytellerkitkit]

Yes! I saw The Lord of the Rings musical twice during its run in the West End in 2008. I loved it so much the first time I had to see it again. I bought the soundtrack immediately. I loved the music and of course, the visuals were amazing. I remember being stunned by the attention to detail. There were a couple of special effects in particular that blew me away. I wish so much I could make it out to see this new production! I hope you get to see it, and that you love it too!

[@overlydramaticpanda]

Oh my god, YES! Honestly, this is one of those shows I always wanted to see since I unfortunately learned about it the week it closed and being around 13 at the time, naturally I couldn't justify the expense to my family for us to go to London and see it. And since it was such a mega flop I naturally assumed it was sort of done for as a show. This is the best news of the year so far...

[@charlesanderson5816]

Like Victoria, I saw the show in the the west end at the Theatre Royal Drury lane. It was an amazing spectacle. So pleased that it is being revived at the Watermill theatre.Its going to be interesting for a show as this being done in the intimate surroundings of Watermill theatre.

[@victoriamaisey2179]

Am so grateful I got to see this show in 2008. It was an absolute feast for the eyes, the revolving multi level stage made me in awe of what they could do on the stage. It wasn't perfect but I have been left all these years with a feeling of wonder and every now and then I google Laura Michelle Kelly singing Lothlorien because it was so beautiful. Not sure how the new production is gonna work but if it comes to London or near me I WILL BE THERE!

[@SusanJERitta]

Her renditions of Lothlorien and Wonder are both phenomenal.

[@Mrnickstr89]

Hopefully LMK will reprise her role as she has said she would love to play the role again!

[@NightingaledeWinter]

I saw the London production, and loved it. As the audience were getting seated the hobbit ensemble improvised being in the Shire on stage. One of the actors was someone I had known at primary school (both he and I would have been in our early 20s at that point), and I think my dad and I put him off a bit as we sat in the front row, he definitely saw us! I really enjoyed the production, as a fan of the books and films I was quite impressed how they managed to cut the plot down to its essentials. I also enjoyed how it had a unique look in terms of costume and styling, it didn't try to ape the film. The Lothlorien song (and Galadriel's costume and makeup) was amazing, and I have listened to it many times since. Other memories include the balrog spraying out little bits of tissue paper everywhere (I obviously picked some up and tucked it into my programme), Gollum climbing vertically down a curtain, and the final battle sequence. I don't think my dad liked it quite as much as I did, but he's fairly ambivalent about musicals in general. Will definitely be trying to see this new production.

[@greenarrow.]

I'd give it a 50/50 on this musical the music and songs were wonderful and I love how the orcs were doing parkour I hope they put more effort into the revival

[@chuckoneill2023]

There was a non-musical dramatization of the trilogy staged in Chicago, many years ago, by lifeline theater. Each book was its own play, and the productions were staged at different times, with them written and staged in different styles. It was well reviewed and received, but I don't think the rights were available after the movies were produced. After your description of this musical, I'm wishing I'd gone over to Toronto to see it.....

[@lesmiserabby4892]

I am so excited about this. I was too young and too far away from Toronto to even know it existed in 2006/2007 when it was there. I so hope this does well enough to maybe come back to Canada at some point. I managed to get a poster from the Toronto production at a convention a couple years ago and it's one of the most treasured parts of my Lord of the Rings collection.

[@BellePullman]

Lord of the Rings onstage was just astonishing - I was lucky enough to do a work placement on the show. The guy whose leg got crushed went on to play Bill Bailey in Cats - so - full recovery! But LOTR has AMAZING AMAZING music - it was almost not a musical, almost all the music is diagetic, or used more like a film score. The sets and costumes were amazing, the puppetry, the magic, in fact the only thing wrong with the original production was its source material - simply trying to fit that much story into one evening didn't really work, especially if you knew the source material well. There was battle after battle, and still fans going "where was this battle?!?" But Laura Michelle Kelly as Galadriel had something magic in Drury Lane, I don't know, she made the auditorium ring like a bell. So stunningly powerful and beautiful, and her understudy didn't quite get the same effect... The trouble isn't the show didn't have an audience, the trouble was the running costs were from another time. It was the last mega-musical, gold leaf on everything, money spent on the spectacle. Not the cheapest possible, maximise profits at all costs approach since. Stripping the gilt off the show leaves us with a well known, beloved story, strong characters, glorious music, but a book that feels quite rushed. Room for a lot of creative puppetry, magic and imagination. I don't think the mega-musical could be staged without the 50-strong cast (which wasn't near enough covers) and the moving sets and big budget, but an intimate, immersive experience can take a different approach and be amazing. As long as the music doesn't suffer for it!

[@CatsandDragons]

I was having a post-choir drink at the Hare and Hounds and wondered if you'd be staying there to review Notes from a Small Island at The Watermill, only to come home to see this video about the summer musical at the venue :) The Watermill often includes their grounds in the summer productions, both musicals and plays, so they have a lot of experience with outdoor staging and moving the audience around, in and out of the building. I love your excitement!

[@johngalt200]

I just cannot imagine how you would try to cut LOTR down to a single theatre performance, it took 3 movies (which are shorter than musicals due to not having musical numbers slowing the plot down) 9+ hours to tell it and there are still people furious about how much had to be cut. I'm not sure how economically feasible it would be to do in the modern day, but I wonder if a structure similar to Wagner's Ring Cycle (4 separate plays performed across a week) might be a better format for trying to fit a story of that size into a musical format.

[@IvyroseGullwhacker]

2:57 - "To give you a brief overview, which is not the documentary length explanation that this historic flop deserves..." Get Wait in the Wings on this!!!!

[@anna-nat8583]

If anyone who previously saw the show can answer this it would be great. Was the musical similar to the film, obviously I know it’s not exact the same but I have a friend who I wanted to take to see this as they love the films but I know that if it’s wildly different to what they already know, then it might not exactly be the most successful for them

[@awc49]

I saw this show in Toronto and was pretty blown away. The music still haunts me. I wish the Windmill Theatre all the best. I have done an immersive performance of Dante’s Inferno, in and out doors and it can be amazing. Good luck to them.

[@genevievehebert-carr5047]

I saw the original production in Toronto when it first opened and though the effects were spectacular and the Hobbits very endearing, it felt so rushed. It’s no wonder when it’s a 1200-page book to 3-movie epic to 3.5 hour musical! I would be very curious to see new iterations of it since the source material is so amazing!! It was one of the first dates my now-husband and I went on so I can’t be too mad, he married me despite his legs going numb during the show!! 😂

[@femoman]

I was very happy to hear about this! I actually enjoyed the original London production for all its flaws, and consider it a valiant effort with a banger of a soundtrack. If I can make the trip to the Watermill I'll absolutely be seeing this!

[@stevecardiff444]

I saw this last week and having seen the London show (twice) I actually prefer this version. The location and intimacy make the whole thing magical. Not only did they have Bilbo's birthday and Sam's wedding in the gardens, they also involved some of the audience in the festivities. At the end when they return to a devistated Shire (different to the London show) the audience even help with the reconstruction.

[@lillithhickling7657]

I apparently saw this in London as a child because I have the programme, but I have absolutely no memory of it at all unfortunately! I wish I could remember seeing it

[@Pixis1]

MickeyJo, are you planning to see and review this show? My mind was blown when I heard there was a revival of this in the works. I'm a huge fan of Lord of the Rings and musical theater so the original cast recording of this is one of my favorites. I never got the chance to see it though. And since I live in the States, it's unlikely I'll get to see this production either. I would love to hear about how they do this.

[@graymccarty9800]

Saw the Toronto production three times. Considering flying to the UK just to see this production

[@cedoniapeterson9239]

From their website: "This production will predominantly take place in the theatre, but short sections at the beginning and end will be outside in our gardens, where seating is limited. In the case of bad weather, there will be some cover, but we would advise that you come prepared with wet weather clothing and comfortable footwear."

[@cassieosbourne7666]

I love this show! I went to see it for my dad’s birthday when it was on the first time (I was about ten) and I came home singing all the songs

[@TheLightofAniu]

I never got to see this show live, but Oh you better believe I am going to try my best to see it, because I have always wanted to see it. I sing the songs whenever they come on. Laura Michelle Kelly was a wonderful Galadriel, and I hope it enchants people once again

[@bradleyh7582]

I wasnt to see this SPOOOOO bad! I hope it is done well and does not just feel like a cheaper version of the original

[@Littlebedmouse]

I saw the London production and oh my goodness the set really was complex! It was really long and somewhat confusing as the story had to be condensed so much. Talking about how they are going to produce this at the Watermill..... I have been involved in some capacity or as a performer in many shows like this. Outdoor promenade performances which then lead the audience to a static venue. With careful planning this works extremely well and I have no doubt it will go very smoothly for them. They may well put a bad weather contingency in place for the outdoor parts - or they may just plough on through unless it becomes unsafe to do so. It's sounds like it's going to be an exciting revival!

[@sevensongs]

Oh I wish I could get over to the UK to see this! I hope some images and clips get put out for those of us stateside.

[@fairamir1]

I LOVE the original cast recording. " Lothlorian" is beautiful.

[@possiblepuzzles8137]

Please! For the sake of the international audience, make sure that there IS a recording of this one (please production, take my money 😭 )

[@rochestas]

I first heard of this musical almost 15 years ago and really liked the music! It always stated in the back of my head since then. I just so happen to be getting back into it when this news lands!! 😁

[@williammckay5914]

Saw it 10 times in London absolutely loved it.

[@CulturePhilter]

I loved the original London production and still regularly listen to the cast recording. This sounds like a very interesting take with the outside element. Looking forward to it

[@baronvonpiano7625]

I’ll only watch if Samwise has a rap about taters. “PO-TA-TOES! Boil em mash em stick em in a stew To cook up taters that’s what you do! Boil em mash em stick em in a stew Taters are awesome, this is true!”

[@TheJennifer122]

I was a teen living near London when this was in the West End and I had friends who saw the Lord of the Rings musical many many times. They were obsessed with it. I had no idea until recently that it was considered such a flop.

[@cloudambient]

omg omg omg omg omg, I've been listening to the album and watching the reels on youtube for YEARS, assuming this day would never come.

[@ryanlong8741]

I remember going to see the show back in 2007, I was about 11 at the time and had seen several shows before that from cats, mary poppins, and chity chity bang bang. at this time I was getting into the films and was beyond excited when I went to see it. the show itself was a rollercoaster for the senses, from the sets to the lighting, you didn't want to blink for fear of missing something spectacular. I also remember the soundtrack was unlike anything I had ever heard back then or even today, revisiting the album I can still picture the grand spectacle that put the phantom to shame. but above all the cast where perfectly cast and had such a passion for the show. one moment of the show that will stay with me forever is when.......Spoiler alert.......... Gollum fell into mount doom with the ring and was slowly falling from the top of the stage in red light and smoke with Galadriel singing behind him. it was a truly mesmerizing show and it is a tragedy that it closed so early. I live in york, but will make the journey to see this if only to experience it again (albeit on a smaller scale) and I can not wait.

[@AegisAeneae]

Saw it back at the Theatre Royal in 2008 or so. Music: To call it a musical is loose. As I recall all the singing is diegetic and in exactly the style you’d expect (airy and ethereal for the elves, folksy for the hobbits and dwarves, tavern songs for humans)- “hey Frodo, give us a song”, “won’t you sing us the tale of ____ please Lady Galadriel” Pace and plot: The whole thing is done at breakneck speed so much so that Gandalf seems to be constantly running and breathless and delivers his lines like he’s just done 5 lines of coke backstage. You get to end of act 1 with the balrog scene (phenomenal though that is) so the rest of Fellowship and the 2 towers is basically non existent. They also skip whole sections and merge characters to fit it all in. Theoden the horse lord who’s advisor was Wormtongue, and Denethor who tried to burn himself and son alive, became one character incorporating both these plots. Other merges and pretty heinous omissions aplenty. Overall: despite this, the visuals, the set, the artistry I have never seen equalled since. If you could have gone in with the loosest expectation of a musical and the loosest grasp of the original plot, and just soak up the atmosphere you would have had an amazing time.

[@qwellen7521]

Saw this years ago. Technical marvel but undeniably struggled to fit a good chunk of the material in. Genuinely wonder how there going to pull this off. Though I’ve always thought the hobbit would be a better pick for theatre.

[@eyecu382]

I saw this!!! It was incredible!! Xx i told my friend the other day i didn't think it would ever be revived!!!!! This venue should do Once. x

[@thomasgolden5874]

My wife and I saw the London production. There were so many cool and fun things about it and so many problems. But I am always rooting for it.

[@me1anieb]

This is very exciting news! Saw the west end production and have consistently put it amongst my top 3 shows I’ve ever seen. The theatre was transformed into Middle Earth, whilst you were taking your seat there were hobbits catching fireflies and clambering amongst the seats playing games! The score was amazing and set design, incredible. The Orcs were really effectively created… and when they came through the audience it was chilling! Cannot wait! The theatre sounds perfect for it!

[@user-hy7nu4vd1x]

Have you reviewed the UK production of The Shark is Broken?

[@emskulblaka]

Do I have thoughts? Oh yes, I do. Your video does an excellent job at putting this new production into perspective wrt previous stagings and the venue! Really excited to (hopefully) see this. Yes, they're stressing the "immersive" aspect a lot, but they have every right to do so - LotR has always been immersive! They had hobbits dancing through the auditorium pre-show, orcs scaring audience members during the interval, and a balrog blowing hot air and paper scraps into the audience back in 2006 already! Nice to see they're sticking with it, it really adds to the experience. As for the rights - I think Saul Zaentz's (co-producer and rightsholder) death in 2014 could have had something to do with it - his legacy was only sorted out last year. Once I start talking about this show, I can't seem to stop - anyway, I didn't get to see it live, but I may have consumed every little bit of content there is over the past seven years xD

[@oliviasmith9033]

This sounds amazing, but the venue's five hours away from me! I think it's too good to miss, I might have to make a special trip

[@greywolfe8012]

I love the soundtrack and have always wanted to actually see it. Hopefully this leads to more performances.

[@cedgson91]

The water mill is in Newbury?! Did not know that 😂 Have not seen it before This sounds very intriguing

[@lauramarshall1028]

I saw the original, I was 14 ish. The set I remember and the big puppets coming from down the seating area to the stage. Not sure I’ll be as keen to see it again if I need an umbrella tho!

[@mely1955]

Yes we saw the production in London luckily the moving platforms and cast were in sync with each other I thought it was incredible but I did hear the hydraulics broke down many times Gollum at the very beginning of the show crawled up the proscenium arch across the top and down the other side and did he move so fast, it was a very production way ahead of it’s time

[@WiseGuy19]

I really hope this is the beginning of a new life for this show. I’d love to see it someday.

[@kevinkiniry3941]

Since it is from a literary source, it would be nice for them to lean into this and have it be a storytelling/theatrical framework where the acting troupe play multiple characters and bring to life someone telling the audience the story using found objects. Sort of like the Fiasco Into the Woods.

[@mathewmaclean]

I also saw it in Toronto. There were parts that I really loved like the Hobbits coming out before the start of the show. The dragon was amazing and it was a spectacular mess with great special effects. It's a play with music and I found it to not really be traditional musical. Fun fact, it did so badly in Toronto by the end of it's run that they were giving away free tickets at malls and people still did not want to go. They wanted to look like they had a full house for those that paid full price for their tickets.

[@whitecoppicemusic3288]

I saw the original west end production, I sets were amazing, love the music, I bought the soundtrack bit thought the script and acting were very poor. All IMHO.

[@zahrahkhalid6333]

I was also lucky to see this musical- it was visually breathtaking especially the final battle sequence, though some of the songs were a bit repetitive

[@heelhairflips]

OH MY GOD i saw it in toronto, and i’m so glad

[@capri2165]

Despite being an avid theater fan I've never heard of this! I'm incredibly curious about this production especially reading all these complimentary comments towards the show. Think my partner and I will have to travel down and see it over the summer!

[@Mrnickstr89]

The music alone is a great reason to witness it! Although there are some duds all in all it’s a gorgeous show.

[@bigollytg]

Spectacular staging. Some good songs and real spectacle. It was rushed though. Most of time is spent on Fellowship and then Two Towers is very rushed to get to return of the king.

[@theunamiable]

I'm not going to be in the country, but it sounds fascinating.

[@kierac9072]

This was the first musical I actively hated. Went into it completely hyped, with no expectations and remember turning to my friend during intermission and saying - “ I am giving to need to be so drunk if we are staying for the second half.” To be fair, the Gandalf actor gave one of the worst performances I’ve ever seen. So maybe that was why it tanked for me.

[@shloopy5]

Yay!

[@Seal0626]

The music is gorgeous, and the spectacle was glorious - but it suffered really badly from being the entire Lord of the Rings, trying to fit into a single performance. The actors were gabbling their lines out as fast as they could, and it was still over three hours long. Personally I think the way to do it would be to split it up and let each part breathe a bit more. My first thought is to be skeptical of a show known as a huge spectacle being put on in a small venue, but then I think of _La Cage aux Folles_ and how that show was known as a huge spectacle until the Menier(which seats 200 if some of them sit on the floor) put on an award-winning production of it and it was one of the best things I'd ever seen. So I don't assume it can't be done and done well.

[@nerdinessfilms]

Hey I dont mean to plug myself, but I have a documentary about the show on my YT channel. Its one of my proudest acheivements!

[@wehojm7320]

You've whetted my appetite for this production. How far is it from London?

[@deeplyshalllow8967]

50ish minutes from Paddington and then a 15 minute taxi from Newbury station.

[@johnmones1450]

@@deeplyshalllow8967 Thank you. I wanted to know in order to see if it would possible to include it in my brief stay in London in mid August. 👍🙏

[@deeplyshalllow8967]

@@johnmones1450 it's certainly do able, but will probably be better with a matinee, as you might struggle to get back to London after an evening performance if you're using the trains.

[@hollywoodguy70]

I wouldn't call it a flop. The production was way too expensive to be profitable

[@___David__]

The show was awful and only loosely based on anything Tolkien wrote. Not as bad as that monstrosity Amazon did, but also not good. However, the music was nice. "Lothlórien" was particularly beautiful. What happened regarding the rights? Easy. Christopher Tolkien passed away and the Tolkien Estate is now run by his arrivist and dumb sun, Simon Tolkien. And Simon not only has no respect whatsoever for his grandfather's works, he's very eager to prostitute them to whomever wants to pay for them. So do I want to see this revived? Absolutely not.

[@Kev-O33]

they should never revive flops

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Tell that to the upcoming Broadway revival of Merrily we Roll Along 😉

[@patrickgomes2213]

Oh my God, oh my God you gu-uys.

[@josephgomes1735]

This for me was a waste of time and talent. They attempted to just ‘show the movie’ on stage. I could have stayed at home, rent the movie, had my wine and popcorn. Was a big FAIL for me. Unfortunately the show was fraught with issues. Why revive a flop? Especially such a costly one. Well,good luck to them. I should mention I saw the original flop in Toronto.

[@slagarcrue85]

Well it’s a better idea the rings of power. No there’s no way in heck I’m watching that piece of kakka.