What a great summer of theatre this is for Hobbit fans in the London area! Not only is Richard Armitage appearing in The Crucible at The Old Vic; Middle-earth lovers can also see Bilbo himself, Martin Freeman, starring as Richard III at Trafalgar Studios. This promises to be a thrilling, visceral production; director Jamie Lloyd last year staged Macbeth (with James McAvoy), in a production which a reviewer described as ‘a gripping and genuinely startling production’. For this staging of Richard III, audience members have apparently been warned that the front rows might get splashed with blood! The official press release describes the play thus:
“In the aftermath of civil war, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, makes a hateful resolution to claw his way to political power at any cost. A master of manipulation, subtle wit and beguiling charm, he orchestrates his unlawful ascent by spinning a ruthless web of deceit and betrayal. His staunch ambition soon begins to weigh heavy, as the new ruler finds himself utterly alone and steeped in dread, forced to answer for his bloody deeds and face the horrifying consequences.”
Continue reading “Martin Freeman in Richard III – Trafalgar Studios, London”
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Martin Freeman’s Richard III production opens in a few weeks at Trafalgar Studios in central London. Here he talks about it with the UK’s Daily Telegraph.
He also touches very briefly, and quite diplomatically, on the Viggo Mortensen CGI-non-stoush that made predictably made a bunch of waves on the internet a few months back.
The man sitting in front of me in a south London rehearsal space doesn’t look much like a bottled spider or a foul bunch-back’d toad. He’s upright in his chair, trim, almost prim, in dress trousers and top-buttoned Lacoste shirt. Only the rough, grey-flecked beard hints at some incipient transformation.
This is Martin Freeman, three weeks shy of the opening of Richard III. The actor is playing the deformed Machiavellian regent at Trafalgar Studios in central London. It’s his first play in four years, since a production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Clybourne Park at the Royal Court. Continue reading “Freeman chats about his Richard III”
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I love Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins. He’s just simply been so outstanding in the role of Bilbo Baggins that jumping on a few collectibles of him playing this character was a no-brainer. Today, I have for you a review of the Mini-Bust by Gentle Giant of Bilbo from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
For me, this is a case of the production piece showing improvement over the pictures on the box, as well as what we saw of the prototype. You can still get this bust from Gentle Giant’s website for just $70, and with an edition size of just a little over 500 pieces, it won’t last for long.
Continue reading “Collecting The Precious – Gentle Giant’s Bilbo Baggins Mini-Bust Review”
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As part of our fifteenth birthday celebrations this weekend, we have an exciting competition for you all — and a stunning prize!
We will be awarding one clever, imaginative Ringer, a The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug poster — signed by Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Luke Evans, Martin Freeman and Evangeline Lilly (see the photo of it just to the right). Continue reading “Enter our Where’s Bilbo? Contest and win a signed The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug poster”
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The Jameson Empire Awards 2014 are taking place in London this evening, and folks from The Hobbit cast are there in force! In fact, the host for the evening is none other than the very charming, smooth talking James Nesbitt. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug has already taken the award for Best SciFi/Fantasy movie, with Richard Armitage, Adam Brown and Aidan Turner joining Nesbitt on stage to accept the award.
Turner was soon back on the stage to accept the Best Male Newcomer award (which seems odd, as even if we were only thinking of his career in terms of The Hobbit, this is already the second movie… but we’re happy to see any recognition for Hobbit cast members!) Empire reports that Bofur was also delighted for Kili: ‘”A gorgeous, multitalented Irishman winning an award for The Hobbit. I couldn’t be happier for him,” says Nesbitt sourly. We’re not sure he’s really so curmudgeonly.’
Continue reading “The Desolation of Smaug takes over the Jameson Empire Awards”
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Originally, Peter Jackson intended his adaptation of The Hobbit to be a two-film effort — a duology.
We’ll never know for certain how it would have turned out, but in this feature TORn writer Captain Salt brings together the known facts to give us some idea of just how it might have shaped up.
Continue reading “How would have Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit looked as a duology?”
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What a great summer of theatre this is for Hobbit fans in the London area! Not only is Richard Armitage appearing in The Crucible at The Old Vic; Middle-earth lovers can also see Bilbo himself, Martin Freeman, starring as Richard III at Trafalgar Studios. This promises to be a thrilling, visceral production; director Jamie Lloyd last year staged Macbeth (with James McAvoy), in a production which a reviewer described as ‘a gripping and genuinely startling production’. For this staging of Richard III, audience members have apparently been warned that the front rows might get splashed with blood! The official press release describes the play thus:
