Review: Kym Vaitiekus shares his thoughts on THE LORD OF THE RINGS – A MUSICAL TALE

Review: Kym Vaitiekus shares his thoughts on

THE LORD OF THE RINGS – A MUSICAL TALE.

Saturday January 11th 7pm State Theatre Sydney

Epic story, Epic cast, Epic staging, Epic enjoyment.

At the aptly styled, State Theatre Sydney, is the Australian premiere of THE LORD OF THE RINGS – A MUSICAL TALE.  (LOTR).

This impressive Australian cast bring life and vigour to the grand storytelling of J.R.R. Tolkien’s famous fable.

The first incarnation of this stage version of THE LORD OF THE RINGS – A MUSICAL TALE. emerged in 2006 and was seen by 1.2 Million theatregoers.

In 2022 director Paul Hart initiated a new production as seen through the eyes of the Hobbits. This version leans towards a communal style, ala ONCE. The beauty of this incarnation is that it has that immersive feel along with the impact of a full-scale stage presentation.

Hart has masterfully assembled his cast and Production Team to craft a remarkable work that immerses us in the warmth of a welcoming village, the intensity of an epic journey, and with music-driven sequences that seamlessly transition from lively pub-style dances to powerful dramatic moments.

Its no mean feat to bring this epic tale to the stage. The performance is 3 hours long and as such some of the storyline is rushed along.

What is impressive is the music by A.R. Rahman, Varttina and Christopher Nightingale along with lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus.

The musical compositions are perfect.

From heartfelt upbeat numbers to drama filled soundscapes, these arrangements go beyond just supporting the content, to create a superb unison of this epic story with original and outstanding musical accompaniments. The music elevates this show from a stage version about a film/book to one that is an original work.

Equally impressive is the stage craft. There is currently many advances in stage technology, this production mostly uses traditional theatre techniques and does so with aplomb. Without spoilers, there is masterful visuals and jaw dropping sequences.

Kudos to Charlie Tymms and Ashleigh Chealde and Adam Mada as the various team members that make many of the specialized visuals work.

Lighting designers, Gavan Swift and Will Elphingstone, have excelled in bringing the many scenarios to the State Theatre stage. Their clever designs create the enchanting sense of trekking through forests, scaling mountains, along with scenes that enhance the forces of the Dark.

Special mention goes to choreographer Anjali Mehra. Her routines perfectly fit Hart’s vision of this production. A joy to watch and feel the dancer’s energy and execution.

Hart has gathered a very fine ensemble indeed.

Rarmian Newton is the total embodiment of Frodo Baggins. He carries that youthful charm, and fresh-faced curiosity with a touch of gorgeous naivety. He commands the stage by hitting the beats with a thorough understanding of Frodo’s goals, fears, desires and quests.

The camaraderie of all the hobbits is a delight to watch.

Wern Mak is superb as Samwise. He has a confident energy that gives vibrant life to his character.

Jeremi Campese as Merry and Hannah Buckley as Pippin display their comedic skills and infuse their characters with that whimsical energy.

It’s these hobbits' passionate grounded performances that engage us thoroughly on their eventful journey.

Laurence Boxhall nearly steals the show with his filmic version of Gollum. His voice and physicality are phenomenal.

I gather one reason so many popular movies make it to the stage, is the joy of watching your favourite characters in the flesh, and when this is expertly executed, that joy is immense.

Boxhall is the hit of the night with his Smeagol/Gollum portrayal.

Gandalf is also bought to glorious life by Terence Crawford, filling this character’s shoes with a magisterial performance. Laurence Coy is the genuine vision of Bilbo with a presence that is thoroughly enchanting .

The State theatre is a beautiful venue and suitably attired for this show. It seems that the design of the stage demands that the centre of the performance is set further back than it would be in other auditoriums. At times the stage did cramp some of the set elements and choreography together. But the Sate Theatre design/size did add to the creation of an immersive story about the landscapes of Middle-earth.

As a member of the general public and not a die-hard LOTR fan, some of the storyline was missed with lyrics that were indecipherable.

Having said that, most of the musical numbers had clear and engaging words. As a fan of attending the theatr,e the bonus for me is the epic storyline, the outstanding original music and Hart’s direction.

Yes this is THE LORD OF THE RINGS with musical numbers but it feels more like a drama with added music/audioscape.

Yes the title adds “a musical tale”, but does this do a disservice to the work.

The poster features Newton front and centre, his work is perfect but his expression on the poster and the musical tag line, to me on first impression, made me wonder if the production was going to be in a similar genre to Titanique.  

It is not.

As a fan of Tolkein, or as a fan of the movies or of as a theatregoer public member, check this superb show. Be prepared for a long production and some fast-moving chapters, don’t drink too much before the first lengthy half and get ready for a bunch of engaging entertainment.

Photography @ Daniel Boud

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