Microphones in Middle-earth...the BBC Lord of the Rings

[Brian Sibley]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

Before the discussion moves on without me tomorrow, there are a couple of things I would like to add. Firstly that while Treebeard's first song is part of the plot, his second "When spring unfolds the beechen leaf" gives a hint of an unexplored vista as far as the adaptation is concerned. Very clever to please the book devotees by acknowledging the Entwives without slowing the action by talking about them. The hobbit / treebeard scenes also give great proof of what can be done with the voice alone. I don't know whether any "magic" was worked but it is just so clear that Treebeard is vastly older and bigger than the hobbits - who sound much more boyish by comparison (whereas their voices sound merely young with the other hobbits).

I'm not sure than Stephen Thorne's voice was treated in any way as Treebeard: he has a deep, mellifluous voice and I had first worked with Stephen in BBC Schools Radio where he appeared in various scripts of mine either as Jesus or the Voice of God! I later requested for him to play Aslan in my radio dramatisations of the Narnian Chronicles (a role he had already voiced in the animated version of TLTW&TW); he also played Chrysophylax Dives in the 'Farmer Giles of Ham' epidsodes of my Tales of the Perilous Realm.

What I do remember was that he was swathed around the neck with garlands of gash recording tape, so that he rustled whenever he moved and spoke!!