My LoTR Review (April 9th)

[mizzie]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 4:23pm

Okay - I got back yesterday from seeing The Lord of the Rings in Toronto, and I can surely tell you one thing - it was "spectacle"-ular!

The show was huge - the effects were incredible! The music was surprisingly good. Half of it was a sort of Indian/Bollywood inspired chanting while the other half (which the Hobbits used) was extremely fun and folk inspired. It was not overtly memorable, but most of the songs were absolutely beautiful. I can't wait for a cast recording to be released.

The cast was fantastic - and I'll tell you all about them now in my full review of the show!

(I'm doing this in the order that they put in the cast list, so it's in order of speaking rather than role size.)

James Loye (Frodo): At first I was disappointed at James' age - he seemed a bit too old and mature to play Frodo. Still, he developed the role nicely throughout the show and I felt that all of his lines were well rehearsed and realistic. His singing (which I didn't hear much of) was pleasant.

Peter Howe (Sam): He was one of the highlights of the show by far! He played the character of Sam brilliantly with what little he had, and really brought the caring edge to Sam's character. He was the most noticeable of the four lead Hobbits, and his singing (while still using a character voice) was full of emotion and fantastic. I loved the way he delivered, "Don't go where I can't follow." He made it sound as if Sam still didn't believe that Frodo was dead, and was very business-like. Then he started really crying, me following along willingly!

Kristin Galer (Rosie): Very small role, with little more than some comedic banter with Peter Howe, but performed extremely well. She had a lovely solo behind Peter Howe during one of his monologues, which was in character voice, but made the scene very powerful.

Brent Carver (Gandalf): Alright, here it comes. Yes, I know that Brent Carver is an extremely accomplished, wonderful actor, but I didn't see it! He seemed under-rehearsed, and paused in places so strange that it made him seem as though he was forgetting his lines (which I do believe he may have a few times during the show). I was nervous for him on stage. His singing was lovely, but not very noticeable.

Owen Sharpe and Dylan Roberts (Pippin and Merry): Very funny. Like many characters, they didn't get as much as they deserved, but they definitely stood out in a crowd. Completely in character at all times. Good singers.

Richard McMillan (Saruman): Given very little, but played the part very well. He was deliciously evil, yet not overly memorable.

Evan Buliung (Strider): Another highlight of the show. His singing was fantastic and he played his part perfectly. Constantly in character, and a very powerful actor.

Carly Street (Arwen): She was a bit out of her element. She was strong in the acting bits which were "very musical theatre" but she was out of place with the vocal style. She seemed to have a more classic Musical Theatre style of singing, and many of her songs were the Chant-y songs. Overall she did well, but I don't think she was perfectly cast.

Cliff Saunders (Bilbo): He did a good job with his tiny acting parts.

Ross Williams and Gabriel Burrafato (Gimli and Legolas): Tiny, tiny parts. I missed them constantly - Gabriel started off act two brilliantly with his loud singing (meant to seem like screaming) which came after the 'death' of Gandalf. Scared me to death. Ross didn't seem very Dwarf-ish, but had a good singing voice.

Dion Johnstone (Boromir): Small role, but very good actor. Probably one of the best examples of good casting. Died well.

Michael Therriault (Gollum): HIGHLIGHT OF SHOW ALERT! Gosh - I've never seen anybody move like this guy could. He was just - gah! Even his tiny little lines in random scenes (before the Balrog scene he had a bit on one of the boxes, hanging out through the trees that surrounded the balconies - about ten feet away from me!) were fantastic. He switched between characters perfectly and was an incredible acrobat. Deserves miles of recognition! And…he's really skinny. Just pointing that out.

Rebecca Jackson Mendoza (Galadriel): Another highlight. She did most of the chant singing from backstage. This girl has an amazing voice - she just opens her mouth and - BAM! - she blows you away. Good actress, too!

Shawn Wright (Treebeard): Scared the crap out of me, I was so afraid he'd fall down. The Ents had to stand still for a long time on their stilts. He was very, very good.

Kerry Dorey (Théoden): Who? Oh, 'that guy' - that guy with two lines who we're supposed to feel bad about when he dies. Oh yeah. He was such a good actor, but couldn't have had more than five or six lines. I think he forgot one in his first scene, too, because there was a long moment that left the rest of the actors shifting uncomfortably on stage. Still, he did well.

Ayrin Mackie (Éowyn): Hm…she didn't have much at all. Still, good singer, and did well with what she had.

The ensemble of this show was one of the highlights. Incredible dancers and acrobats all around, all good actors and singers as well. They really were absolutely wonderful!

Alright, as for the show itself - I did really love the music. Almost all of it was placed so that it would be the characters singing, but not singing their emotions. There were a few places where they did not do this, which still (oddly enough) fit quite well, including Galadriel's incredible solo as the Fellowship leaves. Sometimes, though, you could tell that they wanted to put in a Theatre-y song, and just needed a way to do it, such as the Prancing Pony scene where Frodo is asked to sing a bright Hobbit folk song. It was a huge, absolutely adorable dance number, but was definitely the most Theatre inspired scene in the show. Another example is while the Hobbits first leave ("And the road goes on…") and a lovely duet between Sam and Frodo in the middle of the show ("Sing me a story…"). Overall great music!

The Battle scenes were amazing, specifically the Battle at Helms Deep. There were about ten orcs, and when each one died their platform of the stage would lower as the stage turned (it spun for the entire scene). The stage would turn all the way around and they'd jump onto a higher platform as a new orc. The whole scene was phenomenal!

Other highlights were the act three opening (a huge CRASH followed by a screaming cast member) which made half of the audience scream. Also, they put effects into the audience. I was in the first row of the Dress Circle, right at the left edge, and it reached even me. In the mountain scene, which had snow effects on the stage, they turned on fans to make the whole audience very cold. Then, at the end of act one, the fans went crazy and my hair was absolutely wild, thrashing about! The end of act two (that mountain that Aragorn goes to…with the ghosts…and stuff) was very interesting also, using a large sheet with air bubbles in it they were blown up at the cast members rose from it, making it look like they were rising from boiling water. It was very cool.

The plot was…missing. They spent a lot of time on the first book, with very little emphasis on the other two. So, the script wasn't great, but the show itself was very good.

Before the start of the show (about fifteen minutes prior) the Hobbits were catching fireflies. Yes, I'm serious. Somehow little firefly effects were scattered around the theatre, which the Hobbits caught using different sized nets (made for comedic value) and could pull out of the nets. It was a neat effect. They ran all over the audience, standing on seats, climbing the balconies. My father and I were horrified to look left of us (in the dress circle) and see one of them just standing there, completely in character. He ran behind us and climbed over people to get to the other side, met by a Hobbit friend of his. When all of the fireflies were caught they were released into the Ring (the curtain) and flew about behind them (they were probably done with lasers) as they did a Hobbit folk dance. When the dance was done the show started with a Prologue (done entirely with silhouettes).

You know, I really enjoyed this show! The plot was quite bad (and could've really used some sort of focus), but it's spectacle, music, and actors were great! I would see it again in a second!

Oh, and after this show I went to see a friend's production of Jekyll and Hyde (Musical in a Box version) at the Randolph Academy Pre-College program. That show was adorable, and was an appropriate ending to a perfect day.

Hope you enjoyed the review - go see the show!

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 4:39pm

Nice review!

Interesting that you found James to be a bit old. He's only 26, although he does have a very deep voice.

[firescape]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 4:46pm

I am glad someone else enjoyed this seemingly as much as I did. Seems like they added a few more effects in since I saw one of the previews. Very nice.

[mizzie]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 4:55pm

Oh, really? Which effects?

James didn't act old, it was (like you said!) the depth of his voice that made him seem that way. I grew accustomed to it quite quickly.:)

[firescape]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 5:05pm

I dont recall any snow or cold air. I was actually expecting there to be snow. What was the scream all about in the third act? I will try to think of more.

[bare_nakedlady]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 5:10pm

Great Review. Glad I'm not the only one who thought this of Brent Carver. I love him so much, that I hated to hate him, but I saw one of the first previews and if he's still that bad.... then that's just annoying and unprofessional!

[peggyandvelma]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 5:18pm

Not that I'm a LOTR geek or anything () but Frodo is like 50-something when he sets out with Sam and the ring. I'm just saying...
But, awesome review mizzie! I understand what you mean about the plot--try explaining all of it to a LOTR newbie! Even three films couldn't encompass the whole plot. Wish I could see this. Glad you enjoyed it!

Updated On: 4/10/06 at 05:18 PM

[Tag]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 6:01pm

There was the illusion of snow when they had the projections filling the stage with snow against Saruman and then the Fellowship.
Then right after they had (possibly the best effect in the show and most technically complex-except for the stage)the pieces of white fabric that twisted with the revolve and then had projections on it as well.
Add to that the cold air, although the wind mostly happened during the Act 1 closer (and extreme onstage at later points).

I don't know how they did some of the tech on that stage because it was CRAZY! For those sitting close in the orch. how visible were the wires used for the flying effects?

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 6:40pm

I saw the show this weekend, too! The highlight was definitely Michael Therriault who is a family friend, and the reason I flew in for the weekend to see the show. He was perfect as Gollum, absolutely perfect. The only thing that would have been even more perfect is if he could have somehow also played Frodo. He is such a consummate performer, actor, dancer, and a beautiful vocalist. I think that's one thing that disappointed me the most about this show, the lackluster vocals by so many in the cast.

I agree that Brent Carver was terribly miscast. I, too, love him and was so sad to see that he was so wrong for that role. It was embarrassing at the curtain call when he got such a weak response from the audience. Michael's call was a true ovation. Poor Brent.

I'm happy that I got to see the show. The effects were interesting and the set was very cool. I loved the Prancing Pony scene. Richard McMillan, as always, was wonderful, and I also enjoyed Evan as Strider. Dion Johnstone was excellent as Boromir, he's such a fabulous actor, I've enjoyed him in everything he's done. Erin Mackie, as Eowyn, was also good, another Producers alum. I have to say, though, that it's not a show that I'd ever feel the need to see again, and I honestly can't see it ever recouping its investment. I might be wrong about this and maybe the same audiences that flock to see the Leafs will fill the POW every night but I don't see this show moving to Broadway. The West End maybe, but not NYC.

Tag, I could see the wires from the front Orchestra and some friends of mine who were sitting rear Orchestra could also see them.

[mizzie]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 7:42pm

The wires were surprisingly visible, even from where I was sitting, but once I got past that (which was pretty quick) I really liked the choreography done by those on them. Did those on wires actually sing (while hanging)? It seemed as if one of the girls were singing on the wires, but I'm not sure (I need new glasses:P).

I, too, loved the white fabric (I can't imagine having to figure all of that out). It was stunning, and fit what was going on perfectly. I loved how it went straight from all of the chaos into the lovely scene where Frodo wakes up. Not to mention, the music for this scene was incredible!

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 4/10/06 at 11:04pm

this all sounds so great and exciting! I can't wait for its transfer/new production in Ldn!

[Colle]

Posted: 4/11/06 at 3:19pm

Glad you enjoyed the show Mizzie. From what I have been hearing, from you and others, it does sound like both Theoden and Eowyn do not have as big a role in this show as in the books or the movies. Really looking forward to the CD, especially hearing Rebecca Jackson Mendoza.

[WickedToronto]

Posted: 4/13/06 at 1:01am

I just came back from the show (April 11) and I agree with you the show was spectacular, but throughout I couldn’t get over Gandalf's beard . Every time I saw him on stage I wanted to pull his beard down .. it was so fake .I know the other actors were wearing wigs and other stuff.. but I mean for a 27 million dollar production they could’ve done a better job with his beard. Did anyone notice the black coat Saruman was wearing in his last scene? First of all wasn’t this play supposed to represent Middle earth? When he came out wearing that coat I thought it was great looking but just not suitable for the play. Those are just minor things I found in the show. I wont go over the acting or singing because it has been done already. I got great seats for the show tonight. I paid 26 bucks and I scored an orchestra seat! Great view! Great price! Great show!

[Tag]

Posted: 4/13/06 at 1:57am

The entire 'back at the Shire' scene didn't make sense (clothing and prop wise, I mean umbrellas? what the hell was that?).

[JRTO]

Posted: 4/13/06 at 12:03pm

do tell us about the $26 seats!

[WickedToronto]

Posted: 4/13/06 at 2:12pm

Last night a group of people who bought Orchestra seats cancelled last minute. They had lots of seats available so they gave those tickets away to people in the Balcony without extra cost.I was 6 or 7 rows from the stage. It was really a great view. Everytime I go to a Mirvish production I go during the week because things like that happen often. I have seen 3 of their shows (Hairspray, Lion King and now LORT), I have gotten a good seat (for some strange reason) and I havent paid more than 30 bucks for any of them.