Hot on the heels of Staffer Madeye Gamgee’s excellent review of the Chicago premiere of The Lord of the Rings musical, TORn Discord chatter Stickybeebae offers more thoughts after seeing the production.
The Lord of the Rings musical: a must-see with familiar elements and exciting new twists
By Stickybeebae
Last week, I had the chance to catch the show and catch up with several actors and fans afterwards. Seeing the musical, which debuted 2006, had seemed like a far off dream, as its original run had ended before I finished high school. Helmed by a different production team, this rendition still keeps the original score by A. R. Rahman and Varttina and script with some modifications when it comes to general ambiance.
Though the budget is scaled down, which also made the show more accessible, there is not a lack of quality.
Our journey begins with a soft opening of Bilbo Baggin’s 111th birthday party, where the audience is invited to participate in the form of yard games and conversation with the guests. It was a delightful surprise that I hoped would be carried over from the Watermill Theater, where this production launched, as the Chicago Shakespeare Theater is a very different venue.
After Bilbo’s grand exit, the plot takes a darker turn as those familiar with the books and films are aware, and the story clips along at a steady pace. Due to the condensed nature, there are some liberties taken with this adaptation, most prominently the combination of the Two Towers and Return of the King and several character omissions such as Eowyn, Eomer, and Faramir. Denethor also takes on a very different role and in many ways is reminiscent of Theoden. The exposition is never heavy handed and gives audiences enough backstory to understand this rendition and the characters involved, without becoming burdensome. One example of this is the introduction of Gollum, which occurs during the Council of Elrond, as we are introduced to his backstory through a flashback enacted by shadow puppets.
Given the fantastical nature of Middle Earth and manner of frightening and mystical creatures, puppetry becomes an integral component of the production. The first emergence are the skeletal horses of the black riders. I was blown away by what the production was able to accomplish in terms of effects to bring the show to life. Whether it was the grand illumination of the Door of Durin, or the terror of the Balrog awakening in the Mines of Moria, it felt like you were there experiencing the events with the characters. My only disappointment was the lack of physical presence of Treebeard and the Balrog, which are largely achieved through sound design and lighting effects.
The physical performances of the actors is what really breathes life into this adaptation of Tolkien. Spencer Davis Milford gives a haunting portrayal of Frodo as he grapples with losing himself to the ring. Due to the truncated nature of the story, his gradual realization that his story could potentially echo Gollum’s is a highlight in terms of character arcs. Tony Bozzuto as Gollum is delightfully unhinged, as he spends much of the second act bouncing around the stage.
It’s reminiscent of Andy Serkis’s portrayal both in terms of movement and voice, but he achieves it without any CGI. I asked him after how he was able to maintain that sort of energy throughout the show and he credited feedback from the audience, so when you go don’t hesitate to laugh, cry, or in the case of when Shelob appears, shriek like a small child. Another standout performance was Will James Jr., who had a commanding presence worthy of the character of Aragorn. It takes little suspension of disbelief to imagine him motivating the armies of the west to march into Mordor.
Instead of an orchestra, there is a cozier feel as the cast play their instruments on stage. Gimli has a lament to Moria with an acoustic guitar that will steal your heart, and when Sam reminisces about the Shire, an ensemble of hobbits and Rosie lifts him up in song. It is hard to rival the performances of the great Laura Michelle Kelly and Rosalie Craig but Lauren Zakrin and Alina Taber did phenomenal jobs as Galadriel and Arwen, respectively. And it shows that the grand acrobatics of the original musical were not necessary to bring those characters to life. There is a strong South Asian influence to Anjali Mahra’s choreography that incorporate movement that almost weave the story together like a tapestry. The show finds ways to keep the battles interesting and engaging without a massive cast of extras, and there is an “avenger’s assemble” moment that occurs right before the return of Gandalf.
One creative liberty the show explores is exactly what the one ring tempts Frodo with, which is forestalling the decay of magic and the loss of the elves. Though as Frodo and Sam trudge through Mordor, Galadriel sings “Wonder” accepting that though Lothlorien will fade, new life will prevail which we see a glimpse of during the Epilogue. I highly recommend bringing tissues for the finale, as it’s as much of a tear jerker as its predecessors.
After the show, I took some time to explore Navy Pier, and caught up with a group of fans wearing bespoke Lord of the Rings shirts who had ventured from Utah to see the show. Some of their takeaways were that it was a great experience for anyone who had missed the original run, and that the new voices and incorporation of a band onstage really invigorated the score. I also had a quick chat with Will who expressed “I feel like I have the greatest job in the world because this role [Aragorn] is so iconic. Both in literature and in what was immortalized in the films, so it was a blast to revisit this work in such a unique presentation.”
As a whole, the Lord of the Rings musical is a must see that has familiar elements but the format brings in new twists in an experience you won’t want to miss.
