The Lord of the Rings opened in London this week to rave reviews from fans and 4 star reviews from a number of noted theatre critics.

The show is unlike anything seen before in the West End and features a state of the art mechanical stage, flying Orcs with sprung stilts for limbs and some of the most impressive costumes and sets ever to grace a theatre. The budget for this show is also a West End record as the most expensive show ever staged in London at a cost of £12.5 million!

The Times theatre critic, Sam Marlowe, gave the production 4 stars and wrote that “the show has charm, wit and jaw dropping theatrical brio, it also has emotional heft. This show is a wonder.” He summarised by saying that the show is “a brave, stirring, epic piece of popular theatre.”

Dame Judi Dench attended the premiere and said that the show was “a terriffic treat” with “wonderful choreography.”

Noted theatre critic, Michael Billington of the Guardian gave the Lord of the Rings show a fantastic review, “I happily pay tribute to the skills of Warchus and the production team…The music never or hardly ever impedes the narrative flow…If Tolkein’s trilogy is to be a stage spectacle I don’t see how it could be better done.”

Of course, some critics have been doing what critics do best – criticising! Paul Taylor of The Independent stated that the production was “strong on dynamic spectacle but squeezed as drama and in two minds about how it wants to use music dramatically.”

As far as I’m concerned the show looks amazing and looks completely different from anything else in the West End. The cast is incredible, I’m certain that Laura Michelle Kelly as Galadriel is superb as always, and the acrobatics must add a completely different dimension to this show.

Lord of the Rings is certainly among my top London shows to watch and I believe will give theatre-goers a completely new theatrical experience.