The Lord of the Rings musical pulls UK run next month

The award-winning production of The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale won’t be returning to the UK this autumn as its run has been cancelled.

Directed by Paul Hart, the production began life at the Watermill Theatre in England in the summer of 2023, where it received a WhatsOnStage Award for Best Regional Production.

Since then, it has been seen in Chicago in an augmented production, and has also been staged in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

Inspired by the novels by J R R Tolkien, the musical has book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus and music by A R Rahman, Värttinä, and Christopher Nightingale.

This musical adaptation was first performed at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto in 2006, which was followed by a run at the Drury Lane in London’s West End in 2007.

Although the initial plan was to launch the international tour with an exclusive UK date in Plymouth, unexpected changes to the international tour routing schedule required the UK-based production company to secure alternative post-Plymouth touring dates. While the producers continue to engage with international markets to revise the routing, it has not proved possible to conclude those arrangements in time for the Plymouth run to go ahead.

The show’s producer Kevin Wallace said in a statement: “Cancelling the sold-out, eight-day run at Theatre Royal Plymouth is a hugely regrettable outcome, and we want to assure audiences that this decision was not taken lightly. While continuing to work on alternative international dates, it has not been possible to confirm the wider tour dates in time to make the Plymouth season viable.

“We are truly sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience this will cause, especially for those who made arrangements to attend, for Theatre Royal Plymouth, who have remained accommodating and supportive of the production, and to the cast, crew and creative team looking forward to playing Plymouth.

“The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale has always been a journey – rewarding and at times challenging, and we remain absolutely committed to bringing the production to UK and international audiences in the near future.”

All ticket-holders will automatically receive a refund via Theatre Royal Plymouth and will be contacted directly with details.

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