Much like other franchises where their adaptations have gained greater fame over their source, The Lord of the Rings occupies an odd space where its existence in the public’s mind has more in common with the movies than the original books.
It’s not surprising–Peter Jackson’s trilogy, along with the Harry Potter film series, defined the tone and atmosphere of Hollywood’s obsession with adaptations. Both franchises, as with the countless comic book adaptations in the years since, have seen their film iterations overtake the original worlds in both popularity and common knowledge.
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale somewhat suffers from this state of things. While the performance does a great job in streamlining the many aspects and subplots of Tolkien’s tale, it also feels unnecessarily beholden to the more popular adaptation than the actual material. And, while there is no problem in adapting the movies for the stage, the consequence of producing something so similar to another adaptation is the inevitable comparisons.
From set to character depictions, the influence of the film trilogy is obvious. Which, given the proximity between the films’ and musical’s release dates, the visible similarities are to be expected–after all, before the Jackson trilogy, there wasn’t a specific look to Tolkien’s world to the greater audience.
For the most part, the musical does well in replicating the look and feel of Middle-earth at its most recognisable. Every location and every character are instantly recognisable even if presented differently. For those familiar with the source, the condensed plot points are instantly recognisable, however abrupt. In some sense, the musical’s approach is not very dissimilar to Ralph Bakshi’s 1978 adaptation, which adapted the events of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.
However, if this is your first foray into The Lord of the Rings, and if you’re not already somewhat aware of the context and premise, be prepared to be very puzzled as to why this franchise has been at the heart of a more-than-20-year zeitgeist.
That said, the performance captures some of the visually toughest scenes both artistically and appealingly. Gandalf’s battle with the Balrog in the Mines of Moria and Sam’s struggle against Shelob are well executed and brilliantly intriguing.
Unfortunately, despite the moments when the production shines, all of this boils down to what feels like a very well-crafted fan project with an extremely high budget.
To be fair, many stage musicals employ a unique form of storytelling and pacing that don’t necessarily adhere to what has been made the norm by film and television. However, these kinds of minor irregularities are often overlooked in the face of catchy, memorable songs and dazzling sequences–sadly, The Lord of the Rings musical lacks both.
While it doesn’t serve the magical experiencing befitting the trilogy, The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale is a fun watch for those seeking something different from their theatre experience, and for the diehards prepared to consume anything Tolkien-adjacent.
After all, it’s still superior to just about anything else we’ve gotten from Middle-earth in the last 12 years.
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale will run at Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Theatre through August. Tickets can be purchased here.