When discussing one of the most ambitious stage shows of all time, an equally ambitious question is in order. What is the greatest love story in the history of literature? A long list of contenders comes to mind – Heathcliff and Catherine, Romeo and Juliet, Dick and Jane, etc. To this pasty, disheveled writer, the answer is simple: Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee. The bond of these two characters is the essence of The Lord of the Rings, the epic tale of the 20th century. A mere friendship could not be the core of a story so grandiose; Frodo and Sam’s relationship is true love. It literally takes them to the ends of the earth. (If this makes you uncomfortable in some way, feel free to stop reading. Besides, you’re probably late for your Klan meeting.)
When I heard that a theatre company in Toronto was adapting the book for the stage, I was worried. As I grabbed my inhaler in my trembling hands, my nose started to bleed and my pocket protector rattled with skepticism. How can they give Frodo and Sam’s relationship the gravitas it demands? How can they possibly tell the story in one night? Will Andrew Lloyd Weber violate our ears with a score? (“Sing, my nazgul of music!”) But after speaking to Kevin Wallace, the producer behind this incredibly brave piece of theatre, I realized that it was in the hands of a kindred spirit.
“I want to make this clear from the beginning,” Wallace states in his refined Irish accent. “We’re not attempting to put the films on stage. We’ve gone back to the books, not only in terms of structure, character development and themes, but with a scholastic approach to every single word – for the purpose of honoring Tolkien.”
Wallace proceeded to talk a blue streak, and his descriptions made my heart leap: A cast of 55. Impeccably designed creatures that rely solely on human beings, with no animatronic devices. Songs that are intertwined with the story, reflecting how important music is to every culture of Middle Earth. A recreation of the Battle at Helm’s Deep, which Wallace promises will be “one of the biggest stage sequences ever seen.”An all-encompassing commitment to the books, including the original ending, when the hobbits return to find the Shire in shambles. An understanding of why Frodo and Sam’s relationship strikes a chord that brings tears to the eyes of this nerdy scribe.
“Seeing those wonderful, mischievous characters is absolutely infectious from the start,” Wallace comments. “Frodo becomes slightly distant and more ethereal, yet the affection and companionship between them gets stronger.”
The Lord of the Rings will open at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto in March 2006. It will be the only place to see the show in North America for at least 18 months. This valiant attempt to bring Tolkien to the stage in a three-hour, three-act format is a flashpoint in the history of theater, and it’s happening in Buffalo’s backyard. It’s likely to be an earth-shattering experience, whether you just want to be entertained or you’re a sniveling obsessive like myself, who actually has dreams about fighting orcs in the mines of Moria.
“We’re really keen to see how people who love the books respond to us,” Wallace shares after being peppered with my paranoid questions. “And we’re confident, because of our commitment to the themes of the book, the brilliant designs, the colors, textures and shapes of every creature and character, even the nonsense words in Frodo’s rendition of his ‘Cat and the Moon’ poem at The Prancing Pony.”
After listening to a big-time producer sing the praises of a Tolkien nonsense poem that is certainly trivial to anybody with a social life, all of my remaining skepticism evaporated. Now I can’t wait to see the greatest love story I’ve ever read played out before my eyes. Now I can say, with proper emphasis, that this will be the one show to rule them all.
Appeared in the January 2006 issue of Buffalo Spree.