(Scene: Large hall in Rivendale with a large map of Middle Earth on the wall and a large throne on which sits Elrond.)
Elrond: Next please.
Frodo walks into the hall looking uncertain.
Elrond: (looking up) One at a time please.
Frodo: There is only me, sir.
Elrond: (looking surprised then covering one eye with a hand) So there is. Take a…
Frodo: Seat?
Elrond: (looking over Frodo’s right shoulder) Seat! Yes! Take a seat. So, you want to join my Fellowship, do you? (keeps looking off to right)
Frodo: (rather uncertain) Me?
Elrond: Yes.
Frodo: Yes, I’d very much like to.
Elrond: Jolly good, jolly good. (he makes a mark on a sheet of paper then looks straight at Frodo) And how about you?
Frodo: There is only me, sir.
Elrond: (putting hand over eye and looking both at Frodo and to his right) Well, 18 was too many for the Fellowship anyway. Now let me fill you in. Gandalf is leading this Fellowship and you’re going to climb both peaks of Mount Doom.
Frodo: I thought there was only one peak.
Elrond: (getting up, putting one hand over one eye again and going to large map of Middle Earth on the wall.) Well, that’ll save a bit of time. Well… Now, the object of this Fellowship is to throw the Ring into the pits of Mount Doom and to see if we can find any trace of Durin’s expedition to Moria.
Frodo: Durin’s expedition?
Elrond: Yes, Gimli’s brother was leading that. They were going to build a bridge between the two peaks of Moria. (Pauses, then looks at map with one hand over eye again.) My idea I’m afraid. Now, I ought to tell you that I have practically everyone I need for the Fellowship so what special qualifications do you have?
Frodo: Well, as a…
Elrond: Yes, you first.
Frodo: There is only me.
Elrond: (to Frodo’s right) I wasn’t talking to you. (to Frodo) Carry on.
Frodo: Well sir, I’m a Hobbit and…
Elrond: Hobbit? Hobbit? (gets up and consults dictionary) Where the devil are they, hobgoblin, hobble, hobby… ah, Hobbits: ‘small, hairy footed beings skilled in eating, drinking, burgling and carrying magic rings’. Jolly good, that’ll be useful, well you’re in. Congratulations, both of you. Well, er, what are your names?
Frodo: Frodo Baggins.
Elrond: Frodo Baggins, right well look, I’ll call you (to Frodo) Frodo Baggins one, and you (to Frodo’s right) Frodo Baggins two, just to avoid confusion.
Frodo: Are you actually leading this expedition Elrond?
Elrond: No, I have a pair of rangers named Aragorn who are leading this expedition to Mordor.
Frodo: And what routes will both of them be following?
Elrond: Good question! Well the Fellowship will be leaving on one or the other of the January 22nds and taking the following routes. (goes over to the map) The South Roads through the Mirkwoods down on the main roads near the Lothlorians avoiding the Carathadas and then taking the eastern roads through both Mines of the Morias entering the Rohans from the North. From Rohans we go through the Gondors to Mordors. We take the South road towards the Cracks of Doom for about twelve miles and then ask.
Frodo: Does anyone speak Orcish, Elrond?
Elrond: Oh, yes I think most of them do down there.
Frodo: No, does anyone in our party speak Orcish?
Elrond: Oh, well Gimli’s got a smattering.
Frodo: Apart from the two Gimlis …
Elrond: Great Gladriel, I’d forgotten about him!
Frodo: Apart from them, who else is coming on the Fellowship, Elrond?
Elrond: Well we’ve got the Samwise twins, two elves called Legolas, the other Hobbit pair…
Frodo: Two of them?
Elrond: No four of them, a pair of identical twins, two of the Toooks and you two.
Frodo: And none of these are Wizards?
Elrond: Well we’ve got a brace of guides called Gandalf… because Mount Doom is a pretty tricky climb you know, most of it’s up until you reach the very very top, and then it tends to slope away rather sharply. But Gandalf’s put his heads together and worked out a way up. (opens door) Gandalf? (Gandalf walks in wearing full travel gear.) I don’t believe you’ve met. Gandalf the Grey - Frodo Baggins, Frodo Baggins - Gandalf the Grey … Frodo Baggins two - Gandalf the Grey one, Gandalf the Grey one - Frodo Baggins two. Carry on Gandalfs.
Gandalf: (to Frodo, reassuring him) Don’t worry about the er … (puts hand over eye) We’ll get through somehow. (Gandalf proceeds to walk round the room clambering over every single piece of available furniture. He doesn’t stop talking. Causing a complete wreckage, he clambers over the desk, onto a bookcase and round the room knocking furniture over, meanwhile he is saying…) Now the approach to Mount Doom is quite simply over the foothills, and then we go on after that to … ohh… to set a base camp, somewhere in the region of the Mines of Moria when…(Gandalf staggers out headlong through the door. There are loud crashing noises)
Elrond: He’ll be leading the first assault.
Frodo: Well I’m afraid I shan’t be coming with your Fellowship Elrond, as I’ve absolutely no confidence in anyone involved in it.
(Frodo gets up and walks out slamming the door.)
Elrond: Oh dear. (he pauses, then looks over at… the other Frodo) Well how about you?
Frodo: (sitting in chair at other angle of desk) Well I’m game, Elrond.
Elrond: Jolly good. Jolly good.