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LONDON:
Hobbits, dwarves and elves are heading for the London stage in the
world's first major musical of the "Lord of the Rings", its
backers said.
West
End producer Kevin Wallace said the reworking of British author JRR
Tolkien's fantasy epic will cost US$13 million.
"It
will stimulate audiences' imaginations in a way they've never felt
before," he told Reuters.
A
cast of 50, lavish sets and a full orchestra will help recreate Middle
Earth, the mystical setting for the swords and sorcery trilogy.
The
show will be co-produced by Saul Zaentz, the
veteran
Hollywood producer behind "The English Patient" and
"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". It is due to open in
London in Spring 2005 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the
publication of the complete trilogy and may be put on around the
world. Rob Howell, who worked on London productions of "The
Graduate" and "The Caretaker", will be in charge of
stage design.
Interest
in the Rings has rocketed after the huge success of director Peter
Jackson's big screen adaptations of the first two books. The third
film, "The Return of the King" is due out later this year. |