We round up the reviews for the new production of the musical, playing at the Newbury based theatre until the 15th October.
WhatsOnStage: ***** “So, as well as being extraordinarily exuberant and inclusive, this production had found its time and purpose too. Tolkien would have been so proud.”
West End Best Friend: **** “Great wars are lost and won, with each battle scene cleverly choreographed by Dani McCallum. Each performer is exaggerated and their in-depth characterisation takes on an almost Shakespearean charm. The cast is a collective force to be reckoned with.”
The Guardian: **** “Louis Maskell’s Frodo dramatises the agonising undeniable destiny of one of children’s literature’s numerous Christ figures. Nuwan Hugh Perera’s Sam and Georgia Louise’s Galadriel bring charming presence and lovely voices. With extraordinary contortions of torso and vocal cords, Matthew Bugg’s Gollum makes a formidable case for the superiority of Equity members over CGI. Peter Marinker’s Gandalf is in an unenviable fight with Ian McKellen’s movie version but finds some space of his own.”
The Stage: **** “Gorgeous aesthetics and a lively staging lift this flawed fantasy-musical revival by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus.”
The Telegraph: **** “Paul Hart’s splendid and enchantingly intimate new production turns the £12.5million disaster into a distant memory.”
iNews: *** “The story gets lost among the visual sparkle. The overall running time drags, but we need to stay in some scenes a little while longer to grasp their full effect. Will this satisfy Tolkien die-hards? Probably not. But, is it worth it for the trip into a mythical otherworld? Absolutely.”
Theatre and Tonic.co.uk: ***** “This is the best production from Watermill Theatre yet – it’s bold and captivating. The Lord of the Rings is one of the most innovative pieces of theatre you can get your hands on outside of London.”
The Spy in the Stalls: ***** “Most people who have read Tolkien’s high-fantasy novel would agree that they could read it again. Everyone, I’d like to think, who sees this adaptation at The Watermill will agree that they could see it again. And again.”
To book tickets visit: https://www.watermill.org.uk/the-lord-of-the-rings