LORD OF THE RINGS- MUSICAL

[rayan36]

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...ndid=111377833

[ajaybaskar]

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=lotrtoronto

[Ramakrishna]

Guys de premiere of LOTR was covered in both Cnn-ibn and Times now,ARR talks abt his xperince..
it looked wonderful...
http://www.zshare.net/audio/23593958aae16a/ -Cnn-ibn
http://www.zshare.net/audio/23593585b03cf3/ -Times now

[ajaybaskar]

London on The Lord of The Rings and Rahman

By Behindwoods News Bureau.

June 22, 2007

He is involved in the most expensive movie ever in India; he is also involved in the most expensive theater production ever in the world. More than 100 million copies of his albums have been sold around the world. He has worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber and many other big names.



A British newspaper hailed him as the 'Mozart of Madras'. Those of you who are still wondering as to whom we have been describing in these few lines (you must be a very rare breed) better keep your ignorance to yourselves. We are talking about none other than Musical Wizard A.R.Rahman.

This must be the best phase of Rahman's career to date; we believe that even better days are ahead. The icing on the cake has been the London premiere of The Lord of the Rings musical. Rahman was accorded a red carpet welcome at the event. After the premiere it was the time for some of the most celebrated theater critics of the worlds to have their say. Well, you can say that the mandate was fractured with reviews ranging from highly appreciative to dismissive. But everyone was unanimous in their view that the music (composed by Rahman of course) was brilliant, blending seamlessly into the narrative without hanging loosely like a fractured appendage. Such reviews from one of the most educated and experienced audience certainly elevates Rahman to the level of one of the top musicians of the world (or was he already there much earlier).

Andrew Lloyd Webber who has earlier worked with Rahman for the Bombay Dreams musical too showered praise on the show. So Rahman is certainly on top of the world at the moment.

[abbydoss1969]

LOTR gets mixed reviews:

Updated: 9:37 a.m. ET June 20, 2007
LONDON - “The Lord of the Rings” musical, the most expensive production in West End history, opened to mixed reviews, with some critics praising it as brilliant and others calling it corny and “a thumping great flop.”

The stage adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy saga officially opened Tuesday night at London’s Theatre Royal, with actors dressed as hobbits, elves and dwarfs, and pyrotechnics, special effects and a revolving stage aimed at recreating Middle Earth.

The $25 million show based on Tolkien’s literary trilogy about a Hobbit named Frodo and his quest to rid Middle Earth of evil, has been trimmed and reworked since its Toronto premiere, which also earned mixed reviews.



The Toronto Star had renamed it “Bored of the Rings,” while Variety called it “a saga of short people burdened by power jewelry.” But the London show won praise from some.

The Times called director Matthew Warchus’ West End production a “wonder” and “a brave, stirring, epic piece of popular theater” complete with “charm, wit and jaw-dropping theatrical brio.”

The Guardian said, “If Tolkien’s trilogy is to be a stage spectacle, I don’t see how it could be better done.” It also praised the acting of Malcolm Storry as Gandalf, Brian Protheroe as Saruman and Andrew Jarvis as Elrond, “whose kingly voice resonates like thunder.”

Judi Dench, who attended the premiere with other celebrities such as Andrew Lloyd Webber and Kevin Spacey, said: “For anyone who is a Tolkien fan, it is just a terrific treat. I have never seen the films, but I am a great fan of Tolkien’s writing. It has wonderful choreography and the cast worked so hard.”

But some critics didn’t like the three-hour musical by producer Kevin Wallace.

The Financial Times said: “As for Finnish folk group Varttina’s score, even with two makeovers by (Bollywood composer) A.R. Rahman and now (musical supervisor) Christopher Nightingale, it cannot muster a single memorable tune.”

Charles Spencer of The Daily Telegraph said that Michael Therriault’s “charismatic and creepy” performance as Gollum was admirable, along with performances by Frodo and Sam. But his 14-year-old son hated the show, even though he’s an avid fan of Peter Jackson, director of the Oscar-winning films.

“Its run, I fear, will be nasty, brutish and short,” Spencer concluded.

The Independent called it an “inadequate Tolkien adaptation,” and said the storytelling is rushed.

Using the headline “Flawed of the Rings,” The Sun said the show’s melodies were “tune-free” and the lyrics were “swamped” by the massive band.

“Overblown, over-orchestrated and now over here,” its critic said.

But the paper praised Michael Therriault’s “potentially award-winning” performance as a “wheedling, whining, slithery Gollum,” Peter Howe’s Sam, Frodo’s friend, and the costumes, sets and the “sprightly choreography.”

The Independent also praised Therriault as a “stand-out performer.”

The Daily Mail praised the “multifarious” set changes and the “exuberant” dancing.

But it also said: “British adults will find it difficult to suppress open laughter at this show’s Portentous Moments. Corny is hardly the word. There’s more corn here than in Kansas.”

© 2007 The Associated Press.