Ian McKellen (Gandalf) and Adam Brown (Ori)
Adam Brown, who will play Ori in the upcoming Hobbit films, is one half of the comedy theatre troupe Plested and Brown that performs regularly at the Newbury Corn Exchange. His obligations filming The Hobbit in New Zealand kept him from attending opening night last Friday, but he did send an audio file to be included in the show. It was a scripted piece, but according to the Newbury Weekly News, Brown sent an email that sent, “I hope you don’t mind but I’ve added some extra bits, and got a friend involved.”
The Corn Exchange’s executive director Katy Griffiths was shocked when she recognized the other actor. “When I first heard Sir Ian McKellen’s voice, I nearly fell off my seat,” she said. “Not only was it a great surprise, but it was also very, very funny. The audience on opening night couldn’t believe it. We are very sad not to have Adam in our show this year, but to hear his voice from across the world is the next best thing, and the added bonus of Sir Ian McKellen’s involvement is one of those pieces of theatrical magic that come along all too rarely.”
