Camelot

 

Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, Music by Frederick Loewe

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Camelot is a musical by Alan Jay Lerner (book and lyrics) and Frederick Loewe (music). It is based on the King Arthur legend as adapted from the T. H. White tetralogy novel The Once and Future King.

The original 1960 production, directed by Moss Hart and orchestrated by Robert Russell Bennett and Philip J. Lang, ran on Broadway for 873 performances, winning four Tony Awards and spawning several revivals, foreign productions and a 1967 film version. The original cast album was America’s top-selling LP for 60 weeks.[1] The musical has become associated with the Kennedy Administration.

Run

 

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Opening & Closing Dates

Type & Version

Theatre

Dec 3, 1960 – Jan 5, 1963	Musical / Original	Majestic Theatre, NY, USA
Jul 8, 1980 – Aug 23, 1980	Musical / Revival	New York State Theatre, NY, USA
Nov 15, 1981 – Jan 2, 1982	Musical / Revival	Winter Garden Theatre, NY, USA
Jun 21, 1993 – Aug 7, 1993	Musical / Revival	George Gershwin Theatre, NY, USA

 

Background

 

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In 1959, Alan Jay Lerner and Moss Hart decided to adapt T. H. White’s The Once and Future King as their next project. As discussed in Lerner’s 1978 book, The Street Where I Live, Frederick Loewe, who had no interest in the project, agreed to write music, with the understanding that if things went badly, it would be his last score.[2] After the tremendous success of My Fair Lady, expectations were high for a new Lerner and Loewe musical. However, the show’s production met several obstacles. Lerner’s wife left him during the writing process,[3] causing him to seek medical attention and delaying the production. When Camelot began rehearsals, it still needed considerable work. However, the producers were able to secure a strong cast including Julie Andrews, Richard Burton and Roddy McDowall, as well as Robert Goulet in his first Broadway role. John Cullum also made his Broadway debut as Sir Dinadan; Bruce Yarnell was Sir Lionel. Cullum later replaced McDowall, and William Squire replaced Burton. Other replacements included Patricia Bredin, Kathryn Grayson and Janet Pavek for Andrews.

 

The show’s first tryout was in Toronto, at the O’Keefe Centre in 1960. The curtain came down at twenty minutes to one in the morning; Lerner later noted that “Only Tristan and Isolde equaled it as a bladder endurance contest.”[4] The morning papers, though kind, hinted that the show needed much work in order to succeed. Lerner was hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer and had to withdraw from preparations for a time. Hart then suffered a heart attack, and Lerner stepped in as temporary director for the rest of the out-of-town run at the behest of Kitty Carlisle Hart. Camelot then moved to Boston, nearly an hour and a half shorter, but still running very long. The production team tried to find another director, even phoning Jose Ferrer, who could not undertake the job.[5] Lerner and Loewe disagreed on how to proceed with the show, as Loewe did not want to make any major changes without Hart’s guidance. Lerner wrote: “God knows what would have happened had it not been for Richard Burton.” Accepting cuts and changes, he radiated a “faith and geniality” and calmed the fears of the cast.[6] Guenevere’s song “Before I Gaze at You Again” was given to Andrews at the last minute before the first New York preview, which provoked her famous quote, “Of course darling, but do try to get it to me the night before.”[7] After the show opened on Broadway, Hart was released from the hospital, and he and Lerner began cutting the play even further. Two songs, “Then You May Take Me To the Fair” and “Fie on Goodness,” were cut a few months into the run (though they remain on the cast album).

The advance sale for the show was the largest in Broadway history.[8]The New York critics’ reviews of the original production were mixed.[9] Fortunately for the show, Ed Sullivan approached Lerner and Loewe to create a segment for his television variety program, celebrating the fifth anniversary of My Fair Lady. They decided to do very little from their previous hit and instead to perform four highlights from Camelot. The show stimulated ticket sales, and Camelot achieved an unprecedented advance sale of three and a half million dollars.[10] It was also publicized, just after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (a classmate of Lerner at Harvard),[11] that the show’s original cast recording had been favorite bedtime listening in the White House, and that Kennedy’s favorite lines were in the final number (in which Arthur knights a young boy and tells him to pass on the story of Camelot to future generations):

Don’t let it be forgot

That once there was a spot,
For one brief, shining moment
That was known as Camelot.[12]

Since then, Camelot has been associated with the Kennedy Administration.[8][13]

The obstacles encountered in producing Camelot were hard on the creative partnership of Lerner and Loewe, and the show turned out to be one of their last collaborations (although they did work together to adapt their 1958 movie “Gigi” to the stage in 1973, and collaborated again the following year on the movie musical “The Little Prince”). Camelot was Hart’s last Broadway show. He died of a heart attack in Palm Springs, California on December 20, 1961.[14]

 

Opening Night Cast

 

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• King Arthur – Richard Burton
• Queen Guenevere – Julie Andrews
• Sir Lancelot – Robert Goulet
• Merlyn – David Hurst
• Pellinore – Robert Coote
• Mordred – Roddy McDowall
• Sir Dinadan – John Cullum
• Morgan Le Fey – M’el Dowd +
• Lady Catherine – Virginia Allen
• Nimue – Marjorie Smith
• Sir Lionel – Bruce Yarnell
• Sir Ozanna – Michael Kermoyan

+ In subsequent productions Alan Jay Lerner removed the “Morgan Le Fey” role to make the second act less comical, replacing the scene between her and Mordred with a Mordred/Arthur scene.

 

Video

 

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Synopsis

 

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Act I

 

King Arthur is nervous about his upcoming arranged marriage and is hiding in a tree. Merlyn the Magician, his wise tutor, calls Arthur down to warn the young king that he must learn to think for himself. Merlyn, who lives backwards in time and remembers the future as well as the past, knows he will soon be separated from Arthur. Merlyn persuades Arthur to climb down and chides him for his unkingly behavior. Arthur then left alone, ponders both his subjects and his own feelings about the intended nuptials (“I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight?”). Arthur hears someone coming and scampers up the tree again. Guenevere, Arthur’s intended bride, comes to the woods. She does not like the idea of being Queen, preferring to live an ordinary life, (“Simple Joys of Maidenhood”). She stumbles into Arthur, who initially calls himself “Wart” (his childhood nickname) and then, hearing of her reluctance to marry, tells her of the joys of life in Camelot (“Camelot”). They are both charmed by each other, and almost kiss, when his attendants come upon the two of them. He is revealed as the King. He tells Guenevere the story of how he pulled the sword from the stone and became king, and she finally agrees to marry him. The wizard Merlyn is amused by this development, but his joy turns to sorrow as his memories of the future begin to fade. He realizes that Nimue, a beautiful water nymph, has come to draw him into her cave for an eternal sleep (“Follow Me”). He begs Nimue for answers, as he has forgotten if he has warned Arthur about two important individuals, Lancelot and Mordred. His memories fade permanently, though, and he is led away.

Five years later, Arthur sits with Guenevere in his study, debating about what to do. He explains that he wishes to create a new kind of knight—one that does not pillage and fight, but tries to uphold honor and justice. He is eventually inspired, with Guenevere’s help, to establish the Round Table with the motto “might for right.” Five years later, Arthur’s idea has led to the Knights of the Round Table being renowned all over the country, and their fame has even spread to France. A young, pretentious and over-religious Frenchman from Joyous Garde named Lancelot du Lac has heard of the Round Table, and is determined to come to Camelot and join Arthur’s knights, confident that he is perfect for the post, (“C’est Moi”). King Pellinore, an elderly man who was a childhood friend of Arthur’s, also comes to Camelot to witness Arthur’s greatness for himself, and it is implied that he has become part of the family. Guenevere organises a May Day festival on the castle grounds (“The Lusty Month of May”), where Arthur introduces his wife to Lancelot. Guenevere takes an instant dislike to Lancelot. Time passes, and he makes an enemy of most of the knights. Guenevere incites three of them; Sir Dinadan, Sir Sagramore and the burly Sir Lionel, to engage him in jousting matches,(“Then You May Take Me to the Fair”). Arthur (who has now become “best friends” with Lancelot), is dismayed by this, and is at a loss to understand a woman’s way (“How to Handle a Woman”).

In the jousting match Lancelot easily defeats all three knights. He almost kills Sir Lionel, who fights him last. But the dismay of the crowd turns to awe and adoration, as he appears to seemingly resurrect a dead man. This adoration of the crowd extends to Guenevere, who, to her dismay, finds herself falling in love with him. She does not wish to violate her marriage vows, however, and wishes Lancelot would leave Camelot (“Before I Gaze at You Again”). Unfortunately, Lancelot loves Guenevere in turn, and is similarly torn by the conflict between this love and his devotion to Arthur. Arthur makes Lancelot a Knight of the Round Table. As it happens, the shrewd King Arthur guesses that Lancelot and Guenevere have feelings for each other, but hopes it will blow over, as he does not wish to upset the tranquility of Camelot. He soliloquizes to his sword Excalibur, that they will rise to the challenges they will all face, together.

Act II

 

Several years later, Guenevere and Lancelot are still tormented by their unfulfilled love. She tries to get rid of him, but Lancelot will not leave her, (“If Ever I Would Leave You”). They both believe that Arthur is not aware of it. Nevertheless, she remains faithful to Arthur, and helps him in carrying out the affairs of State.

Mordred, Arthur’s illegitimate son, comes to Camelot to dishonor the King and tries to gain the throne for himself. Arthur puts him in charge of the knights’ training program, not knowing that Mordred is there to destroy the Round Table in revenge against Arthur for abandoning him, and detests the idea of being a Knight (“The Seven Deadly Virtues”). Arthur begins to feel the strain of ruling England, and both he and Guenevere wonder what commoners do without any such responsibilities (“What Do The Simple Folk Do?”). Mordred, meanwhile, has devised a plan to ruin Arthur and his kingdom permanently. He enters an enchanted glade where his aunt, the sorceress Morgan le Fay, dwells in an invisible castle. Morgan has a sweet tooth, and though she likes Arthur, Mordred manages to bribe her to build one of her invisible walls around Arthur for one night (“The Persuasion”). Meanwhile, many of the Knights are bored with chivalry, and long for a life of fighting and pillaging (“Fie On Goodness!”). Mordred plays on this to turn them against Arthur. Meanwhile, Lancelot, unable to stop himself, visits Guenevere in her chambers, where they kiss passionately (“I Loved You Once in Silence”). However, Lancelot and Guenevere’s affair and Mordred’s machinations come to a head when Mordred and some of the Knights of the Round Table interrupt, accuse Lancelot of treason, and try to take him prisoner. Lancelot fights them off and escapes, but Guenevere is arrested, tried, found guilty of treason by reason of her infidelity, and sentenced to be burned at the stake (“Guenevere”). At the execution, Arthur watches from a distance as Mordred taunts him for his failures; he is torn between upholding his law and doing his duty as a king, or sparing Guenevere, whom he still loves in spite of everything. At the last moment, Lancelot arrives with an army, rescues Guenevere and takes her off with him to France. But in the process, Lancelot has been forced to kill some of the other knights, leaving the survivors vowing revenge.

For the sake of his own honor and that of Camelot, Arthur must now wage war against Lancelot. Mordred has taken up his own army against Arthur, back in England. The war takes a terrible toll on Camelot, as more than half of the Knights of the Round Table are killed. Before the final battle, Arthur meets Lancelot and Guenevere. Lancelot and Guenevere’s relationship has foundered. Guenevere has become a nun, and the Round Table is now broken. They offer to face up to justice in England, but Arthur will not see Guenevere burned or Lancelot beheaded. He forgives them both, and they depart separately. That night in camp, Arthur meets a young stowaway named Tom of Warwick, who has come to join the Round Table. His speech reminds Arthur of the idealism and hope that he had as a young king, and inspires him. Arthur knights Tom, and sends him back to England to grow up there, that he might pass on to future generations the ideals of chivalry and Camelot (“Camelot” (reprise)).

 

 

Musical Numbers

 

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Act I “Overture” – Instrumental “The March [Parade]” – Instrumental “I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight” – Arthur “The Simple Joys of Maidenhood” – Guenevere “Camelot” – Arthur “Camelot (reprise)” – Arthur, Guenevere “Follow Me” – Nimue “C’est Moi” – Lancelot “The Lusty Month of May” – Guenevere, Ensemble “Then You May Take Me To the Fair” – Guenevere, Sir Lionel, Sir Sagramore, Sir Dinadan “How To Handle a Woman” – Arthur “The Jousts” – Arthur, Guenevere, Ensemble “Before I Gaze at You Again” – Guenevere

Act II “If Ever I Would Leave You” – Lancelot “The Seven Deadly Virtues” – Mordred “What Do the Simple Folk Do?” – Arthur, Guenevere “Fie on Goodness!” – Mordred, Knights “I Loved You Once In Silence” – Guenevere “Guenevere” – Ensemble “Camelot (reprise)” – King Arthur

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Camelot by Camelot – The marvelous original cast features Richard Burton and Julie Andrews-and a young Robert Goulet making his Broadway debut!

 

Critical Assessments

 

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The New York critics’ reviews of the original production were mixed to positive.[9] A 1993 New York Times review commented that the musical “has grown in stature over the years, primarily because of its superb score…. [which] combined a lyrical simplicity with a lush romanticism, beautifully captured in numbers like ‘I Loved You Once in Silence’ and ‘If Ever I Would Leave You.’ These ballads sung by Guenevere and Lancelot are among the most memorable in the Lerner-Loewe catalogue. King Arthur supplies the wit, with songs like ‘I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight.’”[8] A 2003 review noted, “this musically rich, legend-based classic evokes enough swashbuckling spectacle to keep one smiling. And for lovers of dime-store romance, Camelot has it all – a beautiful English princess swept off her feet by a shy, but passionate bachelor king; an ardent French knight, torn between devotion to his liege and an uncontrollable hunger, reciprocated, to be sure, for the king’s tempestuous wife…. Camelot features a score rich in English country-tune charm by Mr. Lerner. [sic: Loewe wrote the music] Its lyrics, by Mr. Loewe [sic: Lerner wrote the lyrics], never fail to dazzle with their virtuosity and wit.”[22] However, “Jay Lerner’s murky book… has helped sink many a revival of the musical…. It’s a good story, but Lerner’s book is talky and dense, filled with pontificating soliloquies that would have been more powerfully contained in song. Moreover, while the entire show rushes towards a bloody climax… when it finally arrives, it is merely sketched upon in one song, “Guinevere.” …The score, though, is pure magic”[23]

 

 

Awards and Nominations

 

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1961 Tony Awards

• Best Actor in a Musical – Richard Burton (winner)
• Best Scenic Design (Musical) – Oliver Smith (winner)
• Best Costume Design (Musical) – Adrian, Tony Duquette (winner)
• Best Conductor and Musical Director – Franz Allers (winner)
• Best Actress in a Musical – Julie Andrews (nominee)

1961 Theatre World Award

• Robert Goulet (winner)

 

 

References

 

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Sources

 

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• Lerner, Alan Jay. The Street Where I Live (1978). W. W. Norton & Company, ISBN 0-393-07532
• Kantor, Michael and Maslon, Laurence. Broadway: The American Musical (2004). Bluefinch Press, New York, ISBN 978-0-8212-2905-7

 

 

External Links

 

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• Camelot at the Internet Broadway Database
• Summary, production, and licensing information at Tams-Witmark
• Camelot Audition Advice & Show Information from MusicalTheatreAudition.com
• Background of the show and commentary by Judy Harris
• Study Guide, Bard College
• Information about the show theatrehistory.com
• Information about recordings, Cast Albumdb.com