Here’s the transcript of a long but very interesting roundtable question and answer session that Ian McKellen conducted with a number of reporters just before his final day on the set of the Hobbit as Gandalf.
The transcript traverses not just his role — and legacy — as Gandalf, but also his Shakespearean endeavours, living in New Zealand, meeting Edmund Hillary, and the challenges that Sean Connery might have faced if he’d ever taken on the Gandalf role.
Continue reading “Ian McKellen talks on Gandalf’s last day”
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By now you have no doubt seen the new Star Wars teaser for ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’, and if not, it’s time to shake off that Turkey Coma from Thanksgiving yesterday and get thee to a theater, or you can find it here: ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ The biggest question that has set off the inter webs since it’s debut is ‘Who is narrating this?’ It sounds like Smaug, er, that is, it sounds like Benedict Cumberbatch. He has not been officially attached to the film, but did visit the set and was extremely coy on a recent installment of the Graham Norton show about any possible involvement, which can be seen here: BC on Graham Norton. In a recent article today, Collider.com says the narration comes from confirmed cast member Andy Serkis, quoted below:
Contrary to rumors that began spreading right after the trailer hit, the actor providing the ominous voiceover narration is not Benedict Cumberbatch. It is in fact confirmed cast member Andy Serkis. With regards to his character’s allegiance, his words are rather ambiguous. It’s easy to imagine that voice belonging to either an old shaman-type Jedi or an age-old Sith. Which is it? We likely won’t find out for a very long time.
Read more at Collider.com’s Burning Questions answered
Of course, the narration could be anyone really, well, anyone with a nice, deep accented voice that could be equal parts menacing or world weary. As soon as we have a confirmation, we’ll pass it along. But in the mean time, what are your impressions of the new trailer? BTW, that new Sith Lightsaber is very cool with the feel of an old school broadsword.
Update: Hitfix has confirmed Collider’s story that the narration was performed by cast member Andy Serkis, but was unable to give any further details on what role he plays beyond being a pivotal character and not having much screen time. You can find more info at Hitfix story confirms Andy’s narration.
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A reminder to SAVE THE DATE and get ready to celebrate at The One Last Party – There and Back Again.
As we posted last week, TheOneRing.net is hoping to hold a Party of Special Magnificence next February — a final toast to all SIX movies, both The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy.
This will be on Saturday 21st Feb 2015 – the day BEFORE the Oscars — at a venue in Los Angeles, TBA. There will be music, food, drink, entertainment and all kinds of fun! But here’s the thing… Continue reading “SAVE THE DATE – The One Last Party, February 2015!”
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Here’s the latest news for those either attending the World Premiere for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, or for those planning to watch the live stream:
If you’re attending, Warner Bros. will be issuing wrist bands on Sunday 30th November from 12noon. Access to red carpet ‘pens’ will be based on wrist band numbers – and camping out in Leicester Square over night will NOT be permitted. Read details here.
On Monday 1st December, the live stream from the red carpet will begin at 5.30pm (GMT). You can tweet comments or questions for cast using the hash tag #OneLastTime. Details here.
Don’t forget TORn’s pub moot at Waxy O’Connor’s, 6pm on Sunday 30th. There will be some television and press folks there, hoping to chat with fans, and we’ll have prizes for the best costumes. Find us in the Cottage Bar – if you’re lost, look for the gal with pink hair and a ‘greendragon’ tshirt! Details here.
Only a couple of days to go…
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We mentioned last week that actor Adam Brown (aka Ori) is currently appearing in the new play Saxon Court, a production by Made by Brick at the Southwark Playhouse in London. Staffer greendragon went along to see the show in preview, and brings us this review:
Southwark Playhouse, just a few minutes’ walk from the Elephant and Castle tube station, is a fascinating place with a characterful, cosy lobby/bar, and two studio theatre performance spaces, known as ‘The Large’ and ‘The Little’. Emerging playwright Daniel Andersen’s Saxon Court is being presented in The Little. The production, directed by Melanie Spencer, makes skilful use of the intimate space, turning the black box into a workplace, with simply an area on the walls stage right and stage left painted grey to frame the stage. The show tells the tale of a typical London office, on the day of the Christmas party in 2011, at the height of the financial crisis. Things are not going well and someone is likely to get fired – but who will it be?
This is listed as a ’16+’ production, and deservedly so – the folks in this office are as raucous, vulgar and boozy as one might expect on party day! Joey and Nat are the older hands in the office, constantly teasing newcomer Noel; receptionist Tash has recently been off for some ‘surgery’ (and it’s fairly obvious from the moment she enters what her procedure might have been!); they all answer to boss Donna, who is harsh, driven and ruthless.
Adam Brown plays Mervyn (unfairly referred to throughout as ‘Ugly Mervyn’!), an employee from another office who is summoned to meet with Donna. Though Brown has the smallest role to play, his performance is one of the strongest. His Mervyn is funny, gauche, annoying (and, it turns out, as mean as everyone else!); and yet at the moment when he realizes he might be fired, we are given a glimpse of touching poignancy, before the comedy returns.
Actors John Pickard (Joey) and Debra Baker (Donna) also give strong performances. The play is very funny; the almost full house on the night I attended rang with loud and frequent laughter. Andersen clearly knows office worker ‘types’ – I’m pretty sure I’ve temped in this office, with the wine-swigging receptionist dressed up to the nines for the Christmas party. His characters are well-drawn, all hiding – and gradually revealing – insecurities, vulnerabilities and flaws.
My only criticism of the evening was that I was left somehow dissatisfied. We’d spent the past couple of hours watching these people be caustic and despicable; I would have liked to have seen some sense of a journey, of an imminent change or a lesson learned. Furthermore, the play looks at an office in crisis, but fails to give much insight into the wider city (and world) in financial crisis at that time. Instead, the script seems rather superficial; I felt that this office would continue much the same the next day, albeit minus an employee. But perhaps that is part of the point: life goes on, staff and crises come and go, but there will always be offices with snarky workers and drunken, regrettable Christmas parties.
Definitely not a family show – heed the 16+ guideline! But if you fancy a biting, funny antidote to Christmas schmaltz, then Saxon Court is well worth seeing. It runs at Southwark Playhouse until December 13th; click here for showtimes and tickets.
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Our good friends over at The Minister of Chance have let us know that the second series of their popular podcast will be available to fans in 2015. Their press release tells us, ‘Radio Static, the company behind the groundbreaking Minister of Chance franchise, have delighted geekdom by announcing the production of a second season of the award-winning podcast series.’
There are also still plans in the works to create a film of the series, which would include actors Jed Brophy and Sylvester McCoy, reprising their roles from the first season; and we’re also told, ‘A Minister of Chance convention is now in the works for autumn 2015 which will also be held in the county [of Cheshire in the North West of England], and this is also expected to bring in a legion of fans to meet the famous names involved.’
Read more at the series’ website, here.
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