Production photos are in for The Watermill Theatre in Newbury’s latest musical – The Lord of the Rings, based on the classic trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The show has a book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus (Groundhog Day The Musical), with music by A.R. Rahman (Bombay Dreams, Slumdog Millionaire), Värttinä, and Christopher Nightingale (Matilda the Musical).
The production spans both the Watermill Theatre auditorium and its gardens, allowing audiences to be immersed in the magical landscape of Middle-earth.
The full cast includes Folarin Akinmade (Perfect Show for Rachel) as ‘Gimli’, Matthew Bugg (Zorro the Musical) as ‘Gollum’, Reece Causton (Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man) as ‘Ensemble’, Kelly Coughlin (Avenue 5) as ‘Ensemble’, Geraint Downing (A Christmas Carol) as ‘Merry’, Peter Dukes (Brief Encounter) as ‘Boromir’, Amelia Gabriel (Ride) as ‘Pippin’, Tom Giles (Miss Littlewood) as ‘Elrond/Saruman’, Charlotte Grayson (Whistle Down The Wind) as ‘Rosie’, Nuwan Hugh Perera (Life of Pi) as ‘Sam’, Bridget Lappin (The Rhinegold) as ‘Ensemble/Dance Captain’, Georgia Louise (Tammy Faye) as ‘Galadriel’, Elliot Mackenzie (Whistle Down The Wind) as ‘Ensemble’, Peter Marinker (Judge Dredd, Love, Actually, Labyrinth) as ‘Gandalf’, Louis Maskell (The Grinning Man) as ‘Frodo’, Aoife O’Dea (Innocence) as ‘Arwen’, John O’Mahony (Fisherman’s Friends the Musical) as ‘Bilbo’, Yazdan Qafouri (The Band) as ‘Legolas’, Sioned Saunders (Amélie) as ‘Ensemble/Onstage Musical Director’ and Aaron Sidwell (EastEnders, Wicked) as ‘Aragorn’.
The Lord of the Rings is directed by Paul Hart, with design by Simon Kenny, Musical Supervision and Orchestrations by Mark Aspinall, Choreography by Anjali Mehra, Lighting Design by Rory Beaton, Sound Design by Adam Fisher, Projection Design by George Reeve, Associate Directed by Sibylla Archdale Kalid, Puppet Design by Charlie Tymms, and Puppetry Direction by Ashleigh Cheadle. The stage management team are Cat Pewsey (CSM), Katie Newton (DSM), Natalie Toney and Fern Bamber (ASMs) with -Leila Stephenson (ASM Placement).
The Lord of the Rings is playing at the Watermill until 15 October 2023.
The original production of The Lord of the Rings premiered in Toronto in 2006, with the London production directed by Matthew Warchus playing the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London from 2007 to 2008.
Photos: The Lord of the Rings
