LOTR Premiere Review *SPOILERS WITHIN*- Page 3

[Elphaba]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 11:42am

thanks for posting this......not sure it's my kind of thing, which this tells me.

[rclocalz]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 11:58am

Wow, sounds like an amazing experience. I guess there is not really any way they can make this one into a national tour. It would have to be EXTREMELY sized down. Unless they tried to do it in Arenas.

[JRTO]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 12:23pm

I find it troubling to hear two people say that you need a background in LOTR to enjoy this (or understand and not be board).
Sure the movies were successful, but how many of those movie-goers are a) in Toronto and b) willing to pay $125 each to see this.
By now the costs are over $30 million (remember $27 mil. was the budget) and rising- just think how much overtime they paid last night and probably all this week for backstage and musicians? It needs over $1 mil. a week just to pay everyone- then it has to recoup after that.
This show has a steep hill to climb.

[BJC899]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 12:36pm

i'm flying to Toronto in the next few months just to see this show!

It really sounds exhilarating, and I can't wait to see it!

[musicalfandukie]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 12:43pm

disappointing it's not a musical

[algy]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 12:49pm

It's been long rumoured (as someone stated) that the next production of this will be in London, at the Dominion (currently home to We Will Rock You which is closing in October). The Dom is *I think* Londons biggest theatre with 2001 seats. Whether Lord of the Rings would fill it or not, I don't know...

[MissElphie]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 12:53pm

bwayondabrain: Gollum is played by an amazing actor in costume, Michael Therriault. But he is the perfect embodiment of th way Gollum should be. He is barely human.

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 1:36pm

Hah,

Oh man do I ever want to play Gollum. I am known for my wicked impression of his form th movie (both physical and vocally).

And Algy...Theres a funny story behind the Dominion theatre. A few years ago, We Will Rock You was playing there (as it is still) and it got smashed critically and the Lord of the Rings producers were gonna move into that theatre once it inevitabely closed...only problem is it didn't. It kept going and going, even though it was blasted in reviews. So then they had to look at their other options, and decided on Toronto.

So at least We Will Rock You was good for something! Now Toronto gets a bit of a neededn boost to it's theatre industry.

Akiva

[jgph]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 2:26pm

The Dominion Theatre has just over 2000 seats, but the Palladium, The Theatre Royal Drury Lane and The Lyceum are all between 100-300 seats bigger.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 2:48pm

I was so very against this show from the outset, but, after recently seeing the bway.com video and reading these reviews, I think I need to give it a chance. arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!!!!

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 7:39pm

If I remember from seeing WWRY in London, the Dominion has a huge proscenium, so it's probably an asset that the others don't have. And the theatre itself is pretty bare in terms of design, so they wouldn't have a problem designing the house however they want. And sightlines I think are good there.

As for splitting it up...I think it's not to crazy an idea. It worked for His Dark Materials in London, and it sold out in both runs. And I think the Brits might actually be more up for LOTR more than Wicked!

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 7:59pm

It would be hard to split it up. how would they do it? like run the first one for a year, then the second one for a year, etc. Or how would that work? it seems like a tough show cause I know it would sell out on tour, but its designed to where it can't tour. I don't think it would work on Broadway either. I think Vegas would be great for it. Admist all the Cirque shows, LOTR would fit right in. though of course, id never get to see it, itd still be cool. Maybe they could just make the show an even and like offer an hour break b/w acts or something. I dunno.

[MissElphie]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 8:02pm

It might be kinda long for Vegas...don't they prefer the shows shorter there?

[hak]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 8:03pm

i'm going in march! can not wait.
i'd just like to know why some of you have this fear of going to toronto to see it?

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 2/5/06 at 11:20pm

Yeah, Toronto isn't that far away from NY. Yes it still is a ways, but it much closer than for us in good ol' Washington State. Why couldn't it have been in Vancouver? Or Victoria?

[firescape]

Posted: 2/27/06 at 8:11pm

LOTR was amazing!!! I saw it on Sat evening. Not bad for only a few weeks into previews. It looks like they are really working out all the kinks.

[Tigger]

Posted: 3/3/06 at 8:59am

Friends saw it last night and phoned this a.m. to rave about it. Said it blew them away and some. Could not wait to return and take other friends. I'm seeing it opening night March 23rd. Three more weeks to the official unveiling!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/3/06 at 1:50pm

I can't see why this couldn't be put in one of the other huge theatres on Broadway. The Ford/Hilton theatre, for example.

(I haven't seen the show; I wrote this post because I want to hear somebody who's seen it tell me that I'm plain wrong).

[Colle]

Posted: 3/3/06 at 4:20pm

I do hope that they can find a way to scale this show down, so they can do a tour. Going to areas might be a good idea. I really want to see this show and a tour will probably be my only chance; I don't see myself being able to go to Canada, London, or New York anytime soon.

[anfwesternboy]

Posted: 3/4/06 at 12:39pm

I saw this show last night, and they probably will not be able to tour this show because of the huge technical demands of the stage deck alone.

They had to tear out the front part of the concrete stage of the Princess of Wales Theatre so that they can install a revolving elevator stage that juts out over the orchestra pit.

If it weren't for the stage deck, they would have been able to tour this show. But they can't really take away the revolving elevator stage because it figures so much into the staging of this show.

The last time I saw a show make heavy use of elevating stage decks was DER GLOCKNER VON NOTRE DAME in Berlin, which used them to stunning effect. But they were not as complicated as the one for LOTR, and the stage for LOTR alone is probably the most spectacular for any stage production I have ever seen... legit stage production I mean. I haven't seen KA in Las Vegas, although I have seen the impressive levitating swimming pool stage in "O" in Las Vegas.

[HatBoy]

Posted: 3/4/06 at 1:14pm

Ahhh! I see this on the 8th. I'm SO excited!