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Post by crabtree on Sept 16, 2020 14:21:35 GMT
I confess to not having much affection for this show, but it was the first west end show, at Drury Lane, i ever saw, aged 9, in 1964, and I can still remember the startling Book of Hours snow and ice spectacle of the opening scene, with everyone skating on roller skates in masses of dry ice, and then a transformation to the gold throne room. But somewhere in the second act i seem to remember someone was about to be burnt at the stake. Did i make that up and which character would that have been? This nine year old was fascinated by that. as i say, not my favourite show, but it certainly started something.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 16, 2020 16:09:25 GMT
That does sound spectacular - I have never seen a professional production on stage.
Guinevere is sentenced to death towards the end of the second half and is rescued by Lancelot in the nick of time - so that would be that moment
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Post by crabtree on Sept 16, 2020 20:48:37 GMT
thank you Simon, yes I'd assumed she'd been caught up to romantic shenanigans.
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Post by cheri78 on Sept 17, 2020 13:59:59 GMT
I'm exactly the same age and Camelot was also my 1st WE show. I also remember a sort of perspex cylinder rising out of the stage around Arthur. My parents were really great about bringing my brother and I from W Yorkshire to see musicals. We saw Hello Dolly with Dora Bryan, Mame with Ginger Rogers, Charlie Girl with Joe Brown and Gone With the Wind with a very young Bonnie Langford. However, I remember them making us leave Man of LaMancha after The Impossible Dream, I suppose the show was too Avant Garde for folks from Keighley, although we stayed for 1776 and Promises Promises.
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Post by TallPaul on Sept 17, 2020 14:27:48 GMT
I also remember a sort of perspex cylinder rising out of the stage around Arthur. So just like going shopping in this time of CV. We now tend to think of Camelot as being a rather old-fashioned musical, but it was actually 56 years ahead of its time! 🙂 |
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 17, 2020 21:02:30 GMT
The book is pretty dire which is why the glorious score rarely gets a chance to shine.
Give the book a rewrite and allow The central threesome more opportunity to develop their relationships and it would be a classic epic romantic musical.
Just needs a talented new team to make it happen
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Post by crabtree on Sept 18, 2020 10:31:48 GMT
Just researched some of the original designs as it does look rather panto/painterly, but the gold throne room still looks impressive. however i did find an Original Cast recording starring JULY Andrews. Whatever happened to her?
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