Review by Hannah Fredriksson
The Lord of the Rings is a beloved story of epic proportions - the original fantasy trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien has captivated hearts across generations, since its original publication in the 1950s to Peter Jackson’s film adaptations in the early 2000s. Now the premiere Australian production of its musical adaptation by Shaun McKenna has made its way to Crown Theatre in Perth to wow audiences with its enchanting warmth and exceptional stagecraft.
The challenge with adapting a story as rich and detailed as Lord of the Rings into a stage production is fitting the entire narrative into a comfortable run time for the medium. The story covers a lot of ground, and Shaun McKenna’s adaptation hits all the significant story points while nodding at key moments that fans of the source material will appreciate. I would say as a whole it handles the story with admiration and respect for the source material.
The medium of musical theatre is a natural fit for telling this tale - Tolkien’s works are peppered with world-building folk songs painting the stories of Middle-earth. This adaptation celebrates the tradition by filling the ensemble with minstrels, including the main cast. Rather than hiding the orchestra away, the musicians and their instruments form part of the choreography and add palpable emotion and passion to every scene with a score that is cinematic and gripping. The instruments never feel shoehorned in - they always feel like a natural extension of the cast, even as they enter battle.
Even before the show begins the audience is immersed in the joy and merriment of life in The Shire, with Hobbits running up and down the aisles of the theatre inviting the audience to participate in quick little games in celebration of Bilbo Baggin’s eleventy-first birthday. Throughout the production the story continues to weave its way through the aisles, drawing the audience in with its immersive depth.
The special effects are spectacularly ambitious, bringing to life some supernatural beasts on an unfathomable scale for the stage. The giant spider Shelob is a marvel of puppetry, with articulated limbs that span the width and height of the stage and move in an intuitive way. While the set design didn’t change all that much, lighting and projection do a heap of heavy lifting to define different locations, set tonal shifts and create magical visual illusions.
The cast as a whole is incredible, stacked with multi-disciplinary artists that sing, dance, play instruments, puppeteer, and perform acrobatics.
Laurence Boxhall’s Gollum is a stand-out of the performance - this is potentially one of cinema’s most iconic characters that even people who haven’t watched the films would recognise, which invites a certain level of expectation and scrutiny to deliver. Laurence nails the raspy vocals and primitive ape-like physicality, as well as navigating the split personalities of Gollum and Smeagol with haunting ease.
Jemma Rix brings her commanding presence to the ethereal role of Galadriel, absolutely stealing the show with her vocal clarity and range.
The Lord of the Rings - A Musical Tale wins audiences over with warmth and heart while delivering top-tier special effects. Catch it in Perth at Crown Theatre until 6th April.
