It rocks!

I was so very excited when I saw this... I've adored Tolkin for years and Love the theater as well. I'll have to talk my husband into a road trip. Thanks for bringing this show into the limelight!

So, I saw it.

First, it should have never have been made into a musical.
It's a dark story, with very little levity or light until the end. That makes it very hard to create musical variety and novelty.
It's a very simple story in that we have a ring that has to be delivered to Mordor. Not a lot of nuance there.
It's a long story. In the movies, Peter Jackson, has 12 hours to take scenes and develop tension, focus on character sub-plot... and even so, he had to edit great bits of the story. In the musical, you have a little less than 31/2 hours... so lots of editing must be done and you don't have much time to really take a scene and develop the tension, you need to keep moving forward to get to the end of the story.
Oh, and it's a story known to lots and lots of folks - the fans will come to see it. You have better not cut out too many of their favourite characters or scenes.... this leads to leaving in the occasional character who makes little impact unless you've read the books or great dramatic moments that are only so if you have read the books. (I'm sure that attention to fans is the only reason that Eowyn survived edit... and Boromir comes off as little more than an angry jerk, and so his death reveals little nobility)
In short... it's one tough haul.

But, I have to tell y

So, I saw it.
One week after opening..

A couple of prelimary thoughts:
First, it should have never have been made into a musical.
It's a dark story, with very little levity or light until the end. That
makes it very hard to create musical variety and novelty.
It's a very simple story in that we have a ring that has to be delivered to Mordor. Not a lot of nuance there.
It's a long story. In the movies, Peter Jackson, has 12 hours to take
scenes and develop tension, focus on character sub-plot... and even so,
he had to edit great bits of the story. In the musical, you have a
little less than 31/2 hours... so lots of editing must be done and you
don't have much time to really take a scene and develop the tension, you
need to keep moving forward to get to the end of the story.
Oh, and it's a story known to lots and lots of folks - the fans will
come to see it. You have better not cut out too many of their favourite
characters or scenes.... this leads to leaving in the occasional
character who makes little impact unless you've read the books or great dramatic moments that are only so if you have read the books. (I'm sure that attention to fans is the only reason that Eowyn survived edit... and Boromir comes off as little more than an angry jerk, and so his death reveals little nobility)
In short... it's one tough haul.

But, I have to tell you - they succeeded far more than they failed; they delighted way more than they disappointed.

When you take your seat you are immediately included in a rousing party in the shire and throughout the production the action spills into the audience... I imagine that an earlier draft had actors in the aisles from time to time, but now we are treated to symbolic ash and leaves falling; panning and flashing lights, branches that reach out from the stage to embrace the audience, speeches delivered as if we were
participants... all well done.
The music is very new age/celtic - with perhaps too many atmospheric
tracks... it is sometimes hard to hear the lyrics within the music...
but I think that that is a part of a dearth of good sound techs in
Toronto (why oh why do so many productions suffer from poor sound?)
The choreography is excellent.
There are three or four stand out numbers - which isn't bad for a
production that boasts maybe 8 songs. (I know, it's almost not a musical)
The Orcs are incredible
The Nazgul are brilliant

The fellowship are all very good - Sam and Frodo absolutely excellent
and Merry and Pippin every bit as wonderful.
Arwen was okay - but Galadriel was magnificent.

Throughout the production are moments of awe... the set design and the stunning engineering could take your breath away, without an actor stepping foot on the stage.

I loved the use of shadow...
I was quite taken with the use of bodies to create atmosphere and
physical scenes..... (see it, you'll understand).

I am thrilled to report that this is not a stage production of the Peter
Jackson movies (which I also love..). This script came from the books and the edit is not the same as Peter Jackson's movie edit. There are moments in the play that did not make it into the movie and vice versa.
Good for them.

I think that my only disappointment was... and I hate to say this...
Brent Carver as Gandalf.
I have great respect for Mr. Carver and I have enjoyed him in so many
productions: Kiss of the Spider Woman; Fiddler on the Roof (who thought that he could be Tevye?), I loved him in "Vigil", just last year.... but as Gandalf...
It's not that he's short... although barely taller than the Hobbits...
It's not that he can't act... he's got great chops.
It's just that there was nothing imperiously about this Gandalf... he
was far too tentative for my liking. He came across as the old chinese
master, now too old to fight the evil doer, and relying on his young
students to take up the sword (see every Chinese martial movie made in
the 70s or 80s). It was hard to believe that anybody would have
confidence in or find courage from this wizard who is so afraid of what
the future holds.... His bravery should easily match that of Aragorn
the reluctant king... but alas, that bravery and confidence didn't make
it to the 10th row.


But I loved it.
Really.

I've tried to imagine what it would be like to see Lord of the Rings,
having not read the books or seen the movies... would the story hold
together; make sense; entertain... I think so. The technical
achievement is breath taking; the music is pleasant and catchy sometimes - and simply atmospheric background for gymnastics and dance at others, so there is little to offend and much to recommend.
The journey to Middle Earth began at 7:30 pm - we left just after
11:00pm. There were two intermissions (25 minutes total), so the show
is just over 3 hours - some folks have worried that it's too long and
therefore won't attract repeat business. I don't know about anybody else - but my wife would gladly see it 40 times again... as for me, I'm good for at least a couple of more visits.