CAMELOT (2023) - Reviews- Page 3

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 7:13am

The show is a boring slog and critics rightfully pointed it out. How anyone could consider this one of their favorite scores is beyond me. It’s lobby music (or, more fittingly, “tea party music” as Green described it).

The reviews (most of them) are dead on.

[darquegk]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 8:10am

ColorTheHours048 said: "The show is a boring slog and critics rightfully pointed it out. How anyone could consider this one of their favorite scores is beyond me. It’s lobby music (or, more fittingly, “tea party music” as Green described it).

The reviews (most of them) are dead on."

I agree about the score, honestly. My only major interaction with voice actor and writer Mara Wilson in years was a friendly argument over the merits of “Camelot,” which I described as “this isn’t Arthur, it’s My Fair Lady with swords.”

The Venn diagram of “beloved show” and “universally acknowledged to not work” is a small one. Camelot, Merrily, anything else?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 8:31am

Commercially, beyond a base of subscribers and a June finish, the production required reviews. This doesn't have box office stars, presuming the title as a golden age brand would entice consumers. That remains to be seen

Yet Camelot has always been a vehicle, too. The first national originally had Kathryn Grayson (replaced by Anne Jeffries by the time I saw it in DC). The same year (I was in middle school) I saw it again in stock with Howard Keel. It began with Burton and Andrews, and to my thinking needed a 2023 Burton. Elsewhere I opined that Burnap is more like the smart replacement after a name exits, and I stand by that. He's a wildly gifted actor, but this venue at this time needed star power to match the revisal. 

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 8:50am

As of yesterday, they're selling tickets through September 3.

[Shalfoard]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 9:46am

Back in 1980, Frank Rich was much kinder to CAMELOT:  tinyurl.com/mrxvez24

[ggersten]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 10:10am

EDSOSLO858 said: "DTLI Consensus:Fie on Sorkin! A new book only further exposesCamelot’s flaws, beautifully sung as it may be.

7 mixed, 4 negative (including the NYT), 3 positive.

https://didtheylikeit.com/shows/camelot/"

Or this consensus?

 

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 10:15am

This made my morning 

…now I need a Spamalot revival. 

[Kad]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 10:21am

Can’t help but wonder what Tony Kushner would’ve done with this. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 10:25am

Kad said: "Can’t help but wonder what Tony Kushner would’ve done with this."

 

I wonder what Tony Kushner would do about anything and everything.

WWTKD?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 10:32am

Kush… Peter Morgan… Lucy Prebble from Succession… Mike Leigh… Lee Hall… Lynn Nottage… David Henry Hwang…

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 10:41am

How strange (to me) that this block of reviews seems to echo exactly what everyone here was saying, but the Sweeney Todd were so far away from the consensus.  

Next week I'm seeing both the above shows along with Fat Ham - which also seems to be greatly varied in it's reception.

[babyjunegem]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 10:42am

Kad said: "Can’t help but wonder what Tony Kushner would’ve done with this."

Maybe I’m alone on this, but Kushner’s overstuffed WSS script is an apt comparison to Sorkin’s work here. 

[Kad]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 10:46am

babyjunegem said: "Kad said: "Can’t help but wonder what Tony Kushner would’ve done with this."

Maybe I’m alone on this, but Kushner’s overstuffed WSS script is an apt comparison to Sorkin’s work here."

You’re definitely in the minority given the remake’s wide acclaim. 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 10:56am

These reviews are... interesting. I agree with the poster who said that these are the reviews I expected Sweeney to receive. I, personally, found the Camelot revival far to superior to Sweeney in every aspect. That being said, I think Parade will be taking home the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical (and rightfully so).

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 11:10am

As revivals go, I’d say likelihood of winning the Tony is Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, or Parade. In that order. Camelot would be lucky to get nominated at this point, but I’m in agreement that the nomination for Dancin’ seems more likely at this point.

Sweeney may be a box office juggernaut, and the bigger production, but Into the Woods was perhaps the most universally acclaimed production of the season, not just revival. It was at the top of too many best of lists to count and it’s on a cross country tour, delighting audiences and critics, as we speak.

[DCNY]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 11:10am

Play Esq. said: "This made my morning

…now I need a Spamalot revival."


Drifting from the thread, but Spamalot is being but on by Kennedy Center’s Broadway Center Stage in May with the usual star studded cast and great orchestra.

[Kad]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 11:24am

dramamama611 said: "How strange (to me) that this block of reviews seems to echo exactly what everyone here was saying, but the Sweeney Todd were so far away from the consensus.

Next week I'm seeing both the above shows along with Fat Ham - which also seems to be greatly varied in it's reception."

 

I think the members of this board are simply far more likely to be more protective of Sweeney Todd than Camelot, leading to stronger criticism. 

 

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 11:56am

Kad said: "dramamama611 said: "How strange (to me) that this block of reviews seems to echo exactly what everyone here was saying, but the Sweeney Todd were so far away from the consensus.

Next week I'm seeing both the above shows along with Fat Ham - which also seems to be greatly varied in it's reception."



I think the members of this board are simply far more likely to be more protective of Sweeney Todd than Camelot, leading to stronger criticism."

Sweeney Todd is a masterpiece which, when performed half-way decently, comes off like the best musical ever, so when it isn't, it's not surprising that people's reaction range from disappointment to anger. Camelot is pretty universally regarded as a very flawed musical. One can always hope someone can fix it, but going in you know the odds are against it. Also, it is so rarely revived, that even with all the flaws, you're kinda just happy to have finally seen it.

 

[JasonC3]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 12:00pm

SisterGeorge said: "Sweeney Todd is a masterpiece which, when performed half-way decently, comes off like the best musical ever, so when it isn't, it's not surprising that people's reaction range from disappointment to anger. Camelot is pretty universally regarded as a very flawed musical. One can always hope someone can fix it, but going in you know the odds are against it. Also, it is so rarely revived, that even with all the flaws, you're kinda just happy to have finally seen it."

Well said.  Expectations and preexisting perceptions are almost definitely at play in both cases.

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 12:02pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "Kush… Peter Morgan… Lucy Prebble from Succession… Mike Leigh… Lee Hall… Lynn Nottage… David Henry Hwang…"

Separate from the above: I was watching the Aaron Sorkin STEVE JOBS movie a few weeks ago after I saw Camelot (my personal favorite Sorkin film script), and wondered what Danny Boyle –– also a theatre man –– could have done with CAMELOT onstage. Loved his FRANKENSTEIN for the National with Jonny Lee Miller & Cumberbatch.

[musikman]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 12:37pm

SisterGeorge said: "Kad said: "dramamama611 said: "How strange (to me) that this block of reviews seems to echo exactly what everyone here was saying, but the Sweeney Todd were so far away from the consensus.

Next week I'm seeing both the above shows along with Fat Ham - which also seems to be greatly varied in it's reception."



I think the members of this board are simply far more likely to be more protective of Sweeney Todd than Camelot, leading to stronger criticism."

Sweeney Todd is a masterpiece which, when performed half-way decently, comes off like the best musical ever, so when it isn't, it's not surprising that people's reaction range from disappointment to anger. Camelot is pretty universally regarded as a very flawed musical. One can always hope someone can fix it, but going in you know the odds are against it. Also, it is so rarely revived, that even with all the flaws, you're kinda just happy to have finally seen it.

"
 

Couldn’t have said it better myself!

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 12:52pm

babyjunegem said: "Kad said: "Can’t help but wonder what Tony Kushner would’ve done with this."

Maybe I’m alone on this, but Kushner’s overstuffed WSS script is an apt comparison to Sorkin’s work here."

I thought his script was great.  The creation of Valentina, giving Tony a little more back story, and giving Chino some distinction greatly improved the story for me.  I have never loved any version of WSS until this one.  It got to my gut.  I am hard-pressed to name any other movie musical that I loved as much as this one, and Kushner’s script is a major factor.

[quizking101]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 1:36pm

Announcing an extension through the summer (ending September 3rd), on the heels of these, at minimum, tepid reviews - though not entirely suprising - is certainly a choice.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/CAMELOT-to-Release-2023-Broadway-Cast-Recording-New-Block-of-Tickets-on-Sale-Through-Early-September-20230414

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 1:48pm

quizking101 said: "Announcing an extension through the summer (ending September 3rd), on the heels of these, at minimum, tepid reviews - though not entirely suprising - is certainly achoice.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/CAMELOT-to-Release-2023-Broadway-Cast-Recording-New-Block-of-Tickets-on-Sale-Through-Early-September-20230414"

This doesn't strike me as *too* odd... They probably had an extension built into the plan all along... The absence of a national tour launch is interesting... I remember THE KING AND I announced an extension and tour launch after their opening night (and I think maybe MY FAIR LADY did too?). I would be shocked if this extends beyond September 3, though. I think this will be one of the shorter/shortest golden age revivals at the Beaumont.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 4/14/23 at 1:53pm

Tickets through September 3 were already on sale yesterday before the reviews came out, so the extension was happening regardless. In retrospect, though, advance ticket sales probably would have been better if they had announced ahead of the opening.