The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most loved book series (and later, movie franchises) of all time, with J.R.R Tolkien’s mystical world of wonder being the source of inspiration for generations of readers and writers. However, this production of Tolkien’s work, adapted by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Marchus, takes somewhat of a different tack in that it is a musical (or as the program notes, a “musical tale.”). 

After premiering in Toronto in 2006, with a subsequent West End tour being a critical flop, the musical has gone through a rewrite, with material being slightly reorganised and condensed, with this revitalised version premiering in Chicago in 2024. Now, with an Australian cast, the musical is set for a tour of the country, starting with a season at the State Theatre in Sydney, which has been home to some of the more esoteric musicals to grace the Harbour City in recent years.  

The musical is a largely faithful rendition of the trilogy, with the writers and production team having the significant challenge of condensing over 1000 pages of material into 2.5 hours of performing time. The musical starts by providing some brief context of the Lord of the Rings universe before moving onto Bilbo Baggins eleventy-first birthday, where he bequeaths his fortune, including a mysterious ring to his nephew Frodo. 

Chaos ensues after Frodo discovers the powers of the ring and the need to protect it and the rest of the act charts Frodo and the rest of the Fellowship (those in charge of accounting for the ring) and their journey towards Mount Doom. The second act then focusses on the battle to hold onto the ring as the Fellowship meet more characters and obstacles that stand in their way. 

What stands out in this musical are the incredible craftsmanship shown by those on stage and the production value, which is of the highest quality. Every actor takes a great deal of care in maintaining a faithful rendition of their character whilst also being daring enough in their choices to give an edge to the performance. Laurence Boxhall, in particular, is sublime in his interpretation of Gollum which manifests in a performance that is comedic yet evokes a degree of pity underneath the surface. When balanced with the demands of a musical, it is difficult for a performer to explore this duality in such a meaningful way but Boxhall does it with skill and precision (in a manner not unlike his performance in Switzerland at the Ensemble Theatre last year). He is clearly one to watch as this year progresses. Jemma Rix is also a standout as Galadriel, bringing presence and aura as well the best vocals of the night to her snappy but plentiful cameos. 

The production quality is also extremely high, with vivacious set design and considered choreography. The musical is positioned as a spectacle and everything in this regard is very strong, with the transitions between sets and worlds incredibly well managed. 

However, the show ultimately falls apart in its substance. Despite being billed as a “musical tale”, the music feels very much like an afterthought, which is clunkily tacked onto a few scenes. The score cycles through a pastiche of musical styles, which means that the audience can never really settle into a rhythm, and this makes it quite difficult to connect to the actors. Galadriel’s songs are probably where the music feels most appropriate (and indeed, these moments work very effectively) but unfortunately, they are few and far between. 

Additionally, the interpretation of the books felt slightly wonky, stuck between catering to those unfamiliar with the works (and providing the necessary context) and trying to appease the diehard fans of the trilogy (of which there were many in attendance). In the end, the audience was left with an overly long production, which also left many gaps in the storyline leading to a superficial yet somewhat tedious exploration of the subject matter. Perhaps therein lies the fundamental problem with adapting a classic in that once an audience becomes accustomed to an iconic version, it is very hard to live up (let alone add something) to that. This is where Harry Potter and the Cursed Child shines; same universe, different story, which is something to which this production possibly should have aspired.

Overall, this is a solid production with glimpses of brilliance in production and performance, but, ultimately, its inconsistently paced storyline and odd score limit its potential and efficacy. The quality of the acting and the novelty of the production will likely draw audiences in but for this production to really succeed, nearly twenty years on from the first attempt, it does feel like there is more work to be done. 

Rating: ★★★1/2

Lord of the Rings: A Musical Tale plays at the State Theatre until 1^st February. For more information, click here. 

All photo credits: Daniel Boud