The Rings of Power v. The Lord of the Rings Musical

We interrupt our 4-part Inklings series to bring you our honest review of the Lord of the Rings musical on today’s Mythmakers episode!

Join us as Julia Golding reviews the revival of The Lord of the Rings musical at the Watermill Theatre and draws some comparisons with The Rings of Power series. What is the ideal approach to adaptations of Tolkien’s material? Is a smaller scale preferable to grandeur? Why did the musical originally fail when it was on at Drury Lane in 2007, but now has raving reviews in 2023? What lessons can the RoP team learn from this journey? Have a listen and find out!

To grab a ticket and experience the musical for yourself, visit https://www.watermill.org.uk

Mythmakers is the podcast for fantasy fans and creatives, brought to you by the Oxford Centre for Fantasy. In each episode, we embark on an exploration of the world of fantasy—both classic and contemporary. From the stories behind your favourite series to expert tips for aspiring writers, we dive into books, films, TV shows, and the creative process behind them.

Brought to you from the heart of Oxford—home to literary greats like J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Lewis Carroll—we continue the storytelling tradition in the very city where Narnia, Middle-earth, and even Wonderland took shape drawing on the city’s magical blend of ancient buildings, labyrinthine libraries, and gentle river meadows.

Ready to step into the Wardrobe with us into your next big adventure? Visit https://oxfordcentreforfantasy.org/ to learn more!