It has been a while since I heard from Winja Celeborn my top on-set spy but he has managed to obtain one of the casting scripts used during the original auditions.
Thanks Jimcalagon. I, Winja Celeborn, have returned with some of the actual scripts used during the audition sessions in January 1999. The first one is a scene in Fangorn Forest with Merry And Pippin. Please note that these scenes may not appear in this form in the movies but it is heartening to see that Tolkien's dialogue has been used almost verbatim.
Scene: Pippin and Merry have escaped from the clutches of Orcs; filthy half-human beasts with boomerangs and strange metal helmets with a fringe of corks on strings. They have wandered into FANGORN FOREST, a dank mossy place with a tangle of twisted roots underfoot.
PIPPIN's curly ginger hair is full of leaves and twigs and he has mud stains on his kilt.
MERRY
is less dishevelled but he is worried that he may tear his Manchester City Soccer shirt on a twig or branch.
PIPPIN
Och, I dinnae like the look o' this place. All o' them clarty trees and stuff I dinnae ken.
MERRY
No, its sound, kidda, sorted.
PIPPIN
Aye, well still and all, there's something here that disnae feel quite right.
MERRY
No, it's well cool kidda.
They walk along for a short while until MERRY suddenly jumps and shouts
MERRY
Orcs!! Loads of them!
PIPPIN (Alarmed)
Aw Noo! Where!?
MERRY (Laughing)
Ha!, I got you that time!
PIPPIN draws his knife slowly and holds it up to MERRY
PIPPIN
Are ye nae gonnae dae that?
MERRY
Calm down, kidda! It was a joke!
PIPPIN
Aye but are ye nae gonnae dae that?
MERRY
OK, OK!
They continue along in silence until PIPPIN starts to look uncomfortable.
PIPPIN
Hey, I wonder if there's any cludgies aroond here. I'm fair dying for a whizz.
MERRY
I dunno what you're on about, matey.
PIPPIN (Urgently)
I need tae GO! You ken? I need tae go for a jimmy. A number wan. I need tae find a lavatory and
NOO!
MERRY
Yeah, OK. There's gotta be something around here.
PIPPIN (With a pained expression)
Och, I dinnae ken wuther I can hold it in much longer. I gottae go.
MERRY
Well there's plenty of trees, why don't yer use one o' them?
PIPPIN
Aye, well, OK but nae looking mind. Turn aroond.
MERRY turns away and whistles while PIPPIN goes behind a large tree.
PIPPIN (sighing with relief)
Ahhh! I needed that!
Suddenly a branch reaches down and picks PIPPIN UP. The hobbits realise that it is in fact a large treelike creature
(TREEBEARD).
TREEBEARD
WHAAATTT!?!?! You BARURUMLASSELANERAUAMEREMENAM!!!
PIPPIN (Squeaks)
Sorry, I didnae see you there!
I have been promised a copy of the script for the
first meeting between Arwen and Aragorn which I hope to be able to post in a few
days.
Winja Celeborn
