If there's one fantasy series to rule them all, it's hard to go past The Lord of the Rings. And now, Middle-earth is about to collide with our cultural capital, with the news that The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale, has finally announced a 2025 Melbourne season. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved epic trilogy, the stage production will have its Melbourne premiere at the Comedy Theatre from April 26, 2025.
The ambitious production debuts in Sydney in time for the 70th anniversary of The Fellowship of the Ring (the first book in the trilogy) hitting the shelves in 1954, then stops in Perth before arriving in Melbourne.
This musical invites audiences to join the Hobbits on a quest, bringing Middle-earth to life with a cast of multi-skilled actor-musicians in a theatrical event that celebrates community, courage and camaraderie – featuring an original folk-inspired score.
We reckon that this show sounds like a great occasion to celebrate your eleventy-first birthday, or any old excuse to venture out of your underground dwelling in the Shire. Word to the (Sam)wise though, you might want to load up on a hearty meal of po-ta-toes before embarking on this three-hour theatrical quest. How… precious!
After a months-long search, the cast of this hotly-anticipated musical has now been revealed, with Jemma Rix stepping into the role of Galadriel, Rob Mallett as Strider and Stefanie Caccamo as Arwen. Gollum will be played by Laurence Boxhall, Elrond by Andrew Broadbent, Gandalf by Terence Crawford and Frodo Baggins by Rarmian Newton. Of course, there’s not enough space here to list ever stellar member of the 32-strong company.
The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale’s Australian tour is actually the second segment of a world tour – which will begin in Auckland, New Zealand, at the end of 2024 following its highly anticipated US premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
There have actually been several attempts to adapt The Lord of the Rings for the stage, and this storied production is the most prominent. It has had four separate stagings around the world since 2006, including a stint in London that went down as “one of the biggest commercial flops in West End history”. Indeed, the musical has always received mixed reviews, and has undergone some rewrites in response, but it has also won awards and received a lot of praise.
To join the waitlist for tickets, head to the show’s website over here.
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