CAMELOT to close in July- Page 2

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 8:15pm

I think audiences - and myself - have come to expect some sort of “wow” moment from these revivals and this show had none of that. Minimal sets, nothing really exciting or new staging wise. I think Sher’s style has gotten worse and worse. South Pacific and Piazza were sweeping and gorgeous… but Bridges ( one of my favorite scores, but awful staging), Mockingbird (odd directional choices), and now this… 

[TellZ]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 8:16pm

It's been 19 years. It's time for a Bart Sher/LCT revival of BKLYN.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 8:21pm

Grateful for the cast album. It’s easily my favorite cast album of the season so far. Still waiting to hear Sweeney though.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 8:22pm

I don't think LTC's marketing was the issue. The show had no identifiable word of mouth, meh reviews, and without stars and only the branded title  from another age, it wasn't likely to pull ahead. I don't know anyone who said "You must see this!" The convos here were mostly respectful with well-parsed reservations. All astutely argued.  For the record, I was there this very afternoon. Three stars all in, Burnap leaving it all on the floor (to me, the best of the trio, a fully worked out characterization that carries the story to its resolution), Donica singing his heart out, but the show just doesn't generate enough theatrical thrills. It's long, talky, the songs no longer organic to their textual cues, and thus afflicted with a distancing factor: you can't marry the score to the scenes that contain many of the numbers. You find yourself wondering why that moment -- "Lusty Month of May" "Fie on Goodness" -  was musicalized to begin with. An imperfect show still, well, palpably imperfect.  

Updated On: 6/28/23 at 08:22 PM

[George in DC]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 8:28pm

If LCT does keep doing revivals, I would love to see what they and Mr Sher could do with "The Most Happy Fella". It needs a big orchestra and I bet they could do a truly beautiful production of this work.

[quizking101]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 8:40pm

Not even Bart Sher can win them all.

This really isn’t one of those musicals that was begging out for a full scale revival, but I feel like this would’ve been better staging for Encores. I found it rather cold and distant and the space was so poorly used. Burnap was an odd choice for Arthur (he didn’t really sing it that well when I was there early in the run), Taylor Trensch was PROFOUNDLY annoying, and even the reliable Phillipa Soo seemed a bit out of place with some of the new dialogue and characterization written for her.

The only saving Grace of this production was Jordan Donica’s true star turn. He seemed to understand the assignment more than anyone and the stage was only truly alive when he was singing.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 8:55pm

The only saving Grace of this production was Jordan Donica’s true star turn. He seemed to understand the assignment more than anyone and the stage was only truly alive when he was singing.

Correct. 

 

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 9:00pm

Sadly, this production lacked the "fun" of the original version. It lost the pageantry, the color, the whimsy of the Enchanted Forest, a Morgan LeFey who was funny and sexy instead od a b*tch and Merlin's Enchantment by Nimue. Instead, we had Guenevere who was a business partner and a Mordred who was sickening rather than evil. (I did, however, enjoy the three leads and will be heading back to see the show once more before it closes)

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 9:05pm

If LCT is going to keep reviving shows, they they should consider FANNY. A marvelous score and Done.ks would be sensational as Marius.

Updated On: 6/28/23 at 09:05 PM

[IdinaBellFoster]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 9:15pm

I personally hope Sorkin doesn’t stay away. Would love to see him write a book for an original musical, or at least an adaptation from source material that has yet to be on stage. His MOCKINGBIRD is one of the best things I’ve seen in years (IMO).

[Mr. Wormwood]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 9:15pm

RippedMan said: "I think audiences - and myself - have come to expect some sort of “wow” moment from these revivals and this show had none of that. Minimal sets, nothing really exciting or new staging wise. I think Sher’s style has gotten worse and worse. South Pacific and Piazza were sweeping and gorgeous… but Bridges ( one of my favorite scores, but awful staging), Mockingbird (odd directional choices), and now this…"

Agree. I felt like regardless of issues with the book, I was banking on the show being lavish and beautiful to look at. For it to not be that makes the book issues even more glaring.

[jagman1062]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 9:26pm

I read somewhere on this board not too long ago that Sher will direct a revival of Show Boat at LCT. I can't find that thread, but it makes sense to me that they might be planning to present it in a few years for the show's centennial anniversary. Does anyone else remember Show Boat being mentioned? I'd love to see it as the last Broadway production was 30 years ago, but as long as someone other than Sorkin touches the book. I personally think his revisions to Camelot didn't do the show any favors.

[quizking101]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 9:51pm

Sidebar: Can we get Cameron Loyal from BAD CINDERELLA as Lancelot for the tour? I’d sit through this misguided, misbegotten mishegoss if I could hear HIM sing his songs.

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 11:29pm

IdinaBellFoster said: "I personally hope Sorkin doesn’t stay away. Would love to see him write a book for an original musical, or at least an adaptation from source material that has yet to be on stage. His MOCKINGBIRD is one of the best things I’ve seen in years (IMO)."

AMEN. I had my issues with his rewrite here, but the original version of Camelot is not really capable of being produced in 2023 without some updating, and kudos to him for sticking his neck out and trying. I for one am glad someone tried to update it, even if it might not be updatable. And I agree that TKAM was heavenly.

I also wonder how his revisal would have done in a more intimate house and a less grandiose production. While not perfect, some of what he attempted worked quite well, but seemed dwarfed by that enormous stage and those boring grand sets. 

Surprised it will close so soon and glad I saw it, flawed as it was.

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 4:51am

A West End transfer does not sound ideal. Apart from maybe South Pacific, Sher's revivals of golden age musicals have received only lukewarm reviews and and poorly sold runs in London. Unless they cast someone like Paul Mescal as Arthur, it sounds too ambitious. 

[UWS10023]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 5:48am

Actually the numbers were not that bad. Look at the Broadway grosses from last week. Here Lies Love Yikes! They were not running in the red. They really only need to run between 65 and 70 per cent to keep their heads above water. There have been rumors of an early closing for the last few weeks.Morale was a challenge. Not everything can be a hit with or without Sorkin especially when the book is weak. I do not think it was a pr problem. There was plenty of press. La Mancha (I had been thinking about that one too) would work well on the Beaumont stage. I am not sure if it is a property that the general public would be excited about. Funny someone mentioned Showboat because that was my other thought although I don’t know if that would be the best pick for 2024. It will be interesting to see if the Beaumont will house a fall show.

Updated On: 6/29/23 at 05:48 AM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 7:35am

I was very taken with the production and both Sher and Sorkin's approach to the material. I thought Andrew Burnap's Arthur was wonderful and really loved Soo and Donica as well. Glad I got to see this one during it's short run.

[JasonC3]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 8:12am

I enjoyed it well enough (particularly some of the updated book's pithy humor), but overall thought it was good, not great.  I think there is a limited audience willing to endure three hours of that when much of the word of mouth was lukewarm to mildly enthusiastic at best. 

[binau]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 8:18am

I thought The King and I did well in London? My Fair Lady less so (although I don't think it was a disaster). That said, I agree Camelot probably wouldn't do well in London.

[The8re phan]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 8:21am

bwayphreak234 said: "I was very taken with the production and both Sher and Sorkin's approach to the material. I thought Andrew Burnap's Arthur was wonderful and really loved Soo and Donica as well. Glad I got to see this one during it's short run."

My sentiments exactly --- completely captivated by this production, and it's brilliant cast.  

[noahseestheatre]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 8:31am

I agree with most of these comments. I was excited to see a revival of an iconic show from the past, and it, for me, had a sense of being 'a moment' because of that. While I really enjoyed the performances, it did feel like it was a bit vapid and missing a spark. Too long, bogged down by scenes, but uplifted by the score. When the show is as long as this, if I feel like I am just waiting to get to the next song, something isn't right.

Hoping LCT can strike gold but it has been a while. Especially seeing Encores!' success this past season and currently with TLITP, I would think they would take notes from the 'reinventing classics' book City Center uses. We'll see, and I hope it's Show Boat or MOLM!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 8:58am

I don't think Showboat or Man of La Mancha would entice any audiences. I'd love to see what their next original musical would be.

[Owen22]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 9:02am

Auggie27 said: "I don't think LTC's marketing was the issue. The show had no identifiable word of mouth, meh reviews, and without stars and only the branded title from another age, it wasn't likely to pull ahead. I don't know anyone who said "You must see this!" The convos here were mostly respectful with well-parsed reservations. All astutely argued. For the record, I was there this very afternoon. Three stars all in, Burnap leaving it all on the floor (to me, the best of the trio, a fully worked out characterization that carries the story to its resolution), Donica singing his heart out, but the show just doesn't generate enough theatrical thrills. It's long, talky, the songs no longer organic to their textual cues, and thus afflicted with a distancing factor: you can't marry the score to the scenes that contain many of the numbers. You find yourself wondering why that moment -- "Lusty Month of May" "Fie on Goodness" - was musicalized to begin with. An imperfect show still, well, palpably imperfect."

Yes to all of this.  I'm really sick of original-book wholesale rewrites.  Except for the gay, seen-it-all-ready-to-die Merlin whom I found truly hysterically funny, yes, the comic lines that still worked best were Lerner's.  Plus the engine of the play had been removed.  Well, not removed...well, maybe replaced with a faux engine...It turns out Genny and Arthur had been in love all this time??  That this was a love story between Arthur and Guenevere???Then what was she doing with poor Lance???  They screwed up a beautiful political ideal for nought? Because Arthur decided to spend the night at the home of the mother of his problem child???  I understand why they gave "I Loved You Once in Silence" (probably my favorite ballad in the show) to Lancelot, because apparently Guenevere never really loved him, in silence or otherwise!!  And it so spoiled Lancelot's arc after starting off so well (loved Jordan Donica's first two scenes and whenever he sang). To me, the the book was actually subpar Sorkin (I actually really enjoyed his Mockingbird re-write) and there was a lot that disturbed me, such as stating that Camelot was in The Middle Ages.  No, Camelot is a myth out of time...and even if it wasn't ...  did the people IN the Middle Ages know they were in or CALLED it the Middle Ages..  Anyway when "C'est Moi" is you're favorite thing in a production of Camelot (though Su's "Take Me To the Fair" was pretty wonderful too) this probably, in my opinion, is not a successful production.

[Voter]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 10:28am

I wouldn't mind if that rumored Spamalot revival moved in... or that Damn Yankees one...

 

But I'm selfish and want a lavish production of A Little Night Music!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 10:41am

If this production WAS set on the Middle Ages, how could Morgan call herself a "scientist"? That term didn't enter the lexicon until the 1800's.