I Celebrated Bilbo's 111th Birthday

________

If you don't know, I'm a HUGE Lord of the Rings fan. I love the constant themes of hope and light, the relatable characters, the overwhelming Catholic undertones, even the world of Middle Earth itself! That's why it shames me to think it's taken me this long to talk about what I got to do a couple months back.

This summer my cousin and I took a roadtrip to Chicago where we FINALLY experienced Lord of the Rings the Musical! We have been dreaming of this moment our entire lives ever since we first stumbled upon the original London production from the 80's. We wanted to see Lothlorien come to life, the fellowship battle the balrog, a whimsical bar jig of "Cat and the Moon", and even the gift of Smeagol we didn't know we needed. And still I was blown away by what I saw!

What made this production a huge success as opposed to the original failed production from London all those years ago wasn't the elaborate costumes and props—they weren't really anything spectacular. It wasn't the complex set designs—there was just a tree with a window in it for most of the time and some cool lighting here and there. It wasn't even Lady Galadriel aerial dancing from the balcony—she didn't even attempt it in this new production! No, the actual success of this version of the updated production in my opinion was what they chose to focus on and whose perspective they focused the story from: a Hobbit's perspective of simplicity.

While the London production went all out theatrically and made a stunningly beautiful production—they spent millions to produce the show, which is why it ended up being cancelled for financial reasons—it came down to the fact they lacked what money couldn't buy, and that was intentionality and a personal experience for viewers. What a small production company from Newbury proved was that the play could only truly be told from a Hobbit's perspective and mindset, through a simple form of storytelling that wasn't over the top and didn't feel rushed. The script was barely changed from the original production, but somehow simpler made it millions times better.

Watermill Theater told the story of Lord of the Rings from the perspective of simple folk who were almost forgotten in Middle Earth history due to their seemingly hidden and insignificant lives. The production cast and crew were few in numbers and played multiple roles on and off stage. The budget was small but left nothing desired. They did not need a grandiose symphony, instead the actors provided all of the music on-stage—Pippin carry around a cello while singing and dancing on stage was nothing short of impressive!

What this small company accomplished was more than just a successful show, they created an experience! They sold out in the UK and (thankfully) brought their incredible production to the States for a second go-around. I could've easily stayed for 3 more hours, soaking in what Watermill was able to give me. The main point I took away from my moments of bliss in Middle Earth was how money and theatrics don't limit us to what we can achieve, but rather how invested you are with what you're doing. They had me captivated before the show even started, playing games with the audience during the 10 minutes leading up to showtime and the musicians warming up on stage right in front of us like we were all getting ready to celebrate Bilbo's birthday! Did I mention there was no curtain to separate one reality from the other?? Neither were spectacular or seemingly significant details, but they allowed the audience to be part of something without costing an arm and leg and invited them to make it personable instead of a spectacle.

People don't always have to be floored by outlandish special effects or big names that are brought in to make what we're doing come to life. It starts with intentionality and thinking simple. Working with what we are given and building a community around it can be more impactful for those we are witnessing to. We are called to make the most of what we are given, and to better quote the wise wizard Gandalf, "All we have to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us."

Do you allow any roadblocks to stop you from trying to start (or revive) something? How can you dream big while starting small and focusing on quality vs quantity, making it more intentional and impactful?

---

Share my blogs with someone who you think would enjoy my little nuggets of wisdom and reflections! Please feel free to also check out my ongoing projects and ways that you can support me as a freelancer—and avid crocheter!

________

________

---