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Lord of the Rings to close

B

billy corgan19982

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Lord of the Rings to close

Canadian Press

Toronto — Just three months after it opened to largely negative reviews, producers of the $28-million Lord of the Rings stage show have announced it is closing.

"If the critics think they don't have power, believe me they do," Rings producer Kevin Wallace told a news conference Wednesday.

The show will close Sept. 3. A revamped version will reopen next May 9 in London.

Mr. Wallace levelled much of the blame for the show's abbreviated Toronto run at critics, saying the show had had a "rough ride" on this side of the Atlantic.

"When you're going to spend $120 (on a ticket), you do need the affirmation," he said.

Calling London the "spiritual home" of the show, he said British critics responded more favourably.

The show, based on the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien novel, opened with great fanfare in March.

Clocking in at three hours and 30 minutes, it was widely acknowledged to be a technological wonder with 17 elevators embedded in the 36-tonne, computer-controlled stage floor.

But the reaction from many established critics was tepid.

The New York Times said: "Everyone and everything winds up lost in this ... adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's cult-inspiring trilogy of fantasy novels. That includes plot, character and the patience of most ordinary theatregoers."

Added The Associated Press: "Deciphering the story, adapted by Shaun McKenna and director Matthew Warchus, may be the hardest part of a theatregoer's job. . . . The nearly 60 actors on stage have trouble making much of an impression."

Mr. Wallace said the London version will be tweaked and whittled down to three hours.

Some of the Toronto company will also join that production, with details to be announced in September, he said.

Toronto Mayor David Miller blamed the Rings closing on the reluctance of Americans to travel in large numbers in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Despite the critical barbs, the Lord of the Rings cleaned up at the Dora theatre awards handed out earlier this week. It was named outstanding new musical and won six other awards.
 
You can't have it both ways - blaming it on the critics while at the same time running selective quotes from those same reviews, in print ads, that made the show sound like the second coming.
 
I remember that the excuse for closing Napoleon was to gear up for the London transfer, which never happened. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting to see hobbits in the West End next year.
 
Perhaps they'll ride in like the Seventh Cavalry to save Kevin Spacey's hide at the Old Vic.
 
He's already getting bums in seats apparently, even if the critics don't like what he's doing. He may not need to be rescued by an overblown D&D game.
 
I hear that Eydie Gorme and Steve Lawrence, backed by the Famous People Players, will bring their version of it to the Dominion Club in the fall.
 
Linked off the front page of CNN.com:

Huge 'Rings' stage show to close

TORONTO, Ontario (AP) -- The mammoth stage production of "The Lord of the Rings," which was mostly panned by critics, is closing in Toronto.

Producer Kevin Wallace said Wednesday that the $24 million, 3 1/2 hour show will close September 3.

"We're doing respectable but were not sold out. The scale of this show needs that," producer David Mirvish said at a news conference. "The costs are 50 percent more than 'The Lion King' to run so it (the theater) must be full."

It was announced last week that "The Lord of the Rings," believed to be the most expensive show ever mounted, will open in London next year -- trimmed, tightened and reworked since its Toronto premiere at the Princess of Wales Theatre in March.

The show's debut met with a harsh critical reception.

The Associated Press said it was "lavish yet disappointing ... a case of imagination overwhelmed by complexity."

The New York Times said, "Everyone and everything winds up lost in this ... adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's cult-inspiring trilogy of fantasy novels. That includes plot, character and the patience of most ordinary theatregoers."

The show, based on Tolkien's literary trilogy about a Hobbit named Frodo and his quest to rid Middle-earth of evil, received the financial blessing of the Ontario provincial government, which had contributed $2.5 million. Tolkien's story was adapted by Shaun McKenna and director Matthew Warchus.

Though not considered a musical by its creators, "The Lord of the Rings" has moments of song -- an odd amalgam of sounds by Bollywood master A.R. Rahman and Varttina, a Finnish folk group.

Wallace said that the stronger Canadian dollar and negative reviews made American tourists reluctant to come to Toronto to see the show. He also said that negative reviews from critics damaged the production.

The London show will have changes, he said -- they'll give it a "heightened emotional pulse."
 
I hear that Eydie Gorme and Steve Lawrence, backed by the Famous People Players, will bring their version of it to the Dominion Club in the fall.
Click to expand...

Featuring Liza Minnelli as Golum!
 
^^An emotional pulse at all would be acceptable: the real problem here beyond the forgettable music and the maligned length of the show (3 1/2 hours is nothing for either 1) seasoned opera goers, or 2) more importantly in this case, JRR Tolkein fans who happily sit through that much film for each installment of the Jackson trilogy) is that with all the cutting to get the show down to a short running time, they have not figured out how to create an interesting whole of the parts they are left with.

The characters are not fleshed out; there's no time to do it. Eowyn, for example, had two lines of dialogue when I saw the show, and about a minute of total perceivable stage time over two scenes. That begs the question "why not just cut her out then?" They were brave enough to cut our Faramir and Denethor and I can't remember who else... maybe they should have kept chopping.

Many, many scenes and subplots are also gone, but the ones that are left are generally rushed through by whitling them down to such a degree that there's never a breather, and little more than expositional dialogue to listen too that tries to cover everything else that's been cut out to save time. Bleah.

The stage was cool though.

Anyway, better luck next time. What made them think they could get 11 hours of movies or 1200 pages of book into 3 coherent, fun, emotionally involving hours of musicial theatre I'll never - oh - dollar signs.

42
 
I agree with interchange's thoughts. There was too much going on, though visually I thought it was among the most amazing things I've ever seen staged. Who can tell me the Balrog wasn't worth the price of admission alone?

That said I did enjoy the play on a whole, but certianly could have been made stronger with a tighter story and making it more of a musical.
 
Meanwhile, in the world of musical theatre actually worth watching, Toronto's Queen of Puddings Music Theatre opens their production of The Midnight Court tonight at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, by invitation.

It was one of my favourites from last year's Harbourfront. Krisztina Szabo was especially fabulous, the music, costumes, and staging delightfully over the top. Productions like this, with spark and originality, deserve international recognition - and boost Toronto's reputation as a home to excellence.

In contrast, do we really want to export 'LOTR' and be judged on the basis of such bloated commercial product?
 
Why doesn't the government provide support for development of more reasonably-sized shows that only shelling out money for huge wannabe blockbusters like LOTR? It would do more for the industry to provide a constant, moderate percentage of venture capital than to bankroll one show every decade.
 
Why doesn't the government provide support for development of more reasonably-sized shows that only shelling out money for huge wannabe blockbusters like LOTR? It would do more for the industry to provide a constant, moderate percentage of venture capital than to bankroll one show every decade.
Click to expand...

Because they're...the government? ;)
 
Good point. In the end though, the government should really stay out of financing shows...
 
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