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AFP/Getty Images Photo: (L-R)Producers Kevin Wallace, Saul Zaentz and David Mirvish arrive at the gala premiere of the play "The Lord of the Rings"

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J.R.R. Tokien's classic tale "The Lord of the Rings" recast as the most expensive musical that has ever been produced, opened in Toronto, Canada to terrible reviews.

According to producer Kevin Wallace the musical was born out of "an ill-fated production of 'The Hobbit' in Berlin, ... (where) they got into trouble with the book and the lyrics and the music."

With that in mind the creative team behind "The Lord of the Rings" felt that "The Hobbit's" failure was due to a lack of courage, so they aimed bigger with this production, Wallace said.

I do find it interesting that the thought that money, in and of itself, will solve all problems, was included in the strategy as a key component. The Daily Telegraph of London concurred saying that the play proved "you can't always solve a problem by chucking money at it."

The National Post reported that "It feels rushed, not so much in tempo as in lack of weight." The play is three-and-a-half-hours long.

Some reviewers were sympathetic. The Times of London said: "Michael Therriault is terrific as Gollum, full of bitter, sibilant wit and squirming and convulsing with pain and repressed desire for his 'Precious' (the ring)."

But Time magazine said an array of acrobatics "could not match Cirque du Soleil," battle scenes were "often pedestrian" and Orcs looked "less like brutal mercenaries than clumsy backup singers" in final scenes.

The cast includes Canadian Tony Award winner Brent Carver as the wizard Gandalf, British actor James Loye as ring bearer Frodo and Irishman Owen Sharpe as his friend Pippin.
 
I think it was an unwise decision to cast the production as "the most expensive musical that has ever been produced" as it tells you what the emphasis of the team was in making it. That just shows you that if you're going to cut down someone else's work, you should do it by action and results, not just by your words and money.