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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.
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