By Courtesy of Warner Bros. France
The Shire is heading to the British countryside. Fans of "The Lord of the Rings" rejoice: a new musical offers a journey into the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. And this unique experience will be set outdoors in nature's midst. Ready for the adventure?
The Shire is heading to the British countryside. Fans of "The Lord of the Rings" rejoice: a new musical offers a journey into the world of J.R.R. Tolkien. And this unique experience will be set outdoors in nature's midst. Ready for the adventure?
After Hogwarts, Gotham City and Hawkins, welcome to Middle-earth. The "Lord of the Rings" community will be treated to a new part of the saga July 25 to October 15, 2023, at the Watermill Theatre, located in Bagnor, Berkshire, United Kingdom, where a new outdoor musical production will be staged. According to information reported exclusively by Deadline, the Shire, the land where the Hobbits live, will be recreated in the wilderness, serving as the stage for the 20 or so actors involved in this adventure. Tickets will go on sale on March 15, starting at 25 pounds sterling, or about US$30.
The musical will take place only partially outdoors, with some scenes being staged inside the theater: "This production will predominantly take place in the theater, but short sections at the beginning and end will be outside in our gardens, where seating is limited. In the case of bad weather, there will be some cover shelter, but we would advise that you come prepared with wet weather clothing with comfortable footwear," the production warned on its official website.
Based on the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, the musical is co-created by Matthew Warchus, who wrote "Matilda, the musical," with music by A.R. Rahman, who composed the music for the film "Slumdog Millionaire" for which he won two Oscars in 2009. The location was not chosen at random since the theater is located next to the county of Oxfordshire, where the author of the mythical saga dreamed up the fantasy world of "Lord of the Rings."
About two years ago, Paul Hart, artistic director of the Watermill Theatre, came up with the idea for this immersive musical, Deadline revealed: "We're going to give audiences a very visceral experience in that they'll be arriving into the Shire for Bilbo Baggins' eleventy-first (111) birthday on our lawn," he told the American publication. The production will celebrate the cult character's birthday in style on September 22 with a special evening event starting at 5:30pm. It will cost 50 pounds sterling, or about US$60, to attend.
The musical will not be suitable for children under 10 years of age due to the topics covered. The production also advises against carrying babies in your arms.
Some performances will be accessible, offering sign language, with closed captioning or audio descriptions.
The universe of "Lord of the Rings" is still a major draw for producers and fans alike. Amazon's Prime Video managed to make the drama "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" one of the most watched series in 2022. Meanwhile recently, Warner Bros Pictures and New Line announced a new animated film set in the "Lord of the Rings" universe called "The War of the Rohirrim." The Fellowship of the Ring is far from being broken.
