The Watermill Theatre has unveiled plans for a major new immersive production of the musical inspired by J.R.R Tolkien’s The Lord of The Rings trilogy.
Featuring an ensemble cast and large-scale puppets, the immersive production will be staged across the Newbury venue’s auditorium and gardens from 25 July until 15 October.
Presented by the Watermill Theatre in association with Kevin Wallace for KWL & Middle Earth Enterprises, the production will be directed by the Watermill’s artistic director Paul Hart with design by Simon Kenny.
Announcing the production, Hart said: We are thrilled to be bringing Bag End to Bagnor this summer with one of the most epic stories ever written. Our production of The Lord of the Rings will take audiences from the lush idyll of the Shire in our gardens to the darkest depths of the Cracks of Doom. You may be wondering how we’re going to fit this huge show in our 200-seat theatre – come and witness the impossible!”
The venue’s executive director Claire Murray said: “Staging The Lord of the Rings reflects that our ambition hasn’t been diminished by the loss of Arts Council England funding. We’re continuing to invest in the work on our stages, in the talented artists who create this work and in reaching and connecting with audiences locally and nationally. To enable this, we’re continuing to review our business model and we’re pleased to say that we’re able to offer 28% of the tickets for the show for only £25, with priority on sales for Friends and email subscribers. With a 12-week long run, we can’t wait to welcome more people than ever to our unique and magical site to experience this epic story.”
Fredrica Drotos, director of brand and licensing at Middle-earth Enterprises, added: “Middle-earth Enterprises along with Kevin Wallace can’t imagine a more fitting locale for the live staging of the Fellowship’s epic adventures from the Shire to Mordor, and back again, than at the Watermill Theatre, set in the bucolic Berkshire countryside.”
First performed in Toronto in 2006 before transferring to the West End in 2007, The Lord of the Rings has a book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus and music by A.R. Rahman, Finnish folk music band Värttinä and Tony Award-winner Christopher Nightingale.
Angela Thomas
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