Live From Lincoln Center: Camelot, airs this Thursday on PBS — Page 11

The original production was fantastic.

Burton, Andrews, Goulet, McDowell.

Hell, John Cullem was in it.

The music was divine.

The sets and costumes were glorious by Broadway standards of 1960.

Sure, the show dragged, but Richard Freaking Burton. I mean COME ON!

Can you imagine how he handled that final scene. Just because the line "I've seen what I wanted to see" is in the script doesn't mean it was necessary. I'm certain in his hands it was implied perfectly.

It's no coincidence the show begins with two great solos. The director/creators wanted to show off their toys right up front.

The audiences that went were there to hear Lerner and Loewe and see Burton and fall in love with Andrews all over again and the first production delivered.

I'll bet most of the audiences that saw it came out amazed and amused.

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I think that's why I can't stop thinking about it: It was Historically Bad.

Even if you never saw Burton, Andrews, Goulet and McDowall, all you have to do is listen to them on the OBC recording to know how glorious the score is capable of sounding. Why can't anyone, but them, get it right? It has never, ever been close to being right, since they did it.

I'm sitting in a coffee shop listening the OBC, an album that is very near and dear to my heart, being one I grew up listening to. The decision for this concert to include Morgan le Fay and yet drop "Fie on Goodness" is sticking out to me as a HUGE mistake. The humor of the Morgan le Fay is grossly inappropriate at that point in the show, whereas "Fie on Goodness" provides some small comedic relief, but with black humor that is mixed with the real tragedy of WITNESSING Arthur's dream fall apart. It's sad to see such a poor decision made.

from Sueleen's post:
"I did delight when Kudish went for a big high note and managed to crack 5 times within it."

I was surprised no one had mentioned that before.

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I think Glenn Close would have made a fabulous Morgan Le Fey. I mean, c'mon -- she chews up the scenery in everything she's in, why not put it to good use? With a dash of her "Cruella DeVil" characterization put in for good measure...

What a mess! A real discredit to this great piece from the direction to the wild cameraman to the gaudy gold boxes that re appear in every other scene like building legos.

A casting nightmare!

Bryne is a fine actor, (imo) but dreadfully miscast for this role and indeed made Michael York's portrayal stunning in comparsion.

Marin has a wonderful voice and stage presence but her Guenevere is way off lacking royality and youthful personailty. I was so looking forward to enjoying her in this.

Gunn's Lancelot is heavy handed and his vocals way too operatic as he "woofed" his way through them. Little to no chemistry between Lance & Jenny, while Bryne kept looking into the camera like "What am I gonna do about these two?"

TABOO Mordred was a joke. Someone's bad dream, for sure.

The three knights tried "so hard" but to no avail. Spamalot anyone?

The staging was incredibly poor and the ensamble costumes were a hodge podge of styles. Black costume for the lusty month of May ?! And just who were all those people in the red costumes?

It's pretty bad when the best cast character is Pellinore. Christopher Lloyd nailed Pelly.

Words just can't describe this embarassing prestation that would indeed been better off presented from stools and music stands!

Let's pray the folks at the Hollywood Bowl were watching this as they prepare for the stage concert of LeMiz!

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Updated On: 5/9/08 at 07:43 PM

Cause he forgot his comb, ("Cookie, Cookie lend me your comb")
It was a I'm a pretty boy thing, I thought.

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Huh? Julie Andrews was 25 years old, when she did Camelot. She would have looked much better with the cameras up in her grill.

AMEN!

Mine is based on the broadcast

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allofmylife,

Don't know whether or not you saw the tour with Rachel York, but imho she was everything I imagine Julie Andrews was as Guenevere - regal, elegant, radiant, youthful, spirited, and vocally perfect for the role.

I didn't get to see Brent Barrett's Arthur, but friends did and they said he was wonderful. I saw Joseph Dellger give a terrific performance in the North Shore Music Theatre production a few years back. It was phenomenal to have a younger Arthur AND to have him sing beautifully. Just because Burton and Harris did the talk-sing thing doesn't mean it HAS to be done that way. I think a magnificent singing voice can elevate Arthur to a glorious level.

I think a cast of Barrett, York and Gunn would be incredible. Beautiful voices all around, great acting, believable youthfulness, and a truly hot and tragic triangle.

It's official. No one can touch the original cast of Camelot. It's just not possible. But you know, we knew that when we saw it. It was simply the greatest cast of a show I have ever seen. Every single person was perfection. I've seen shows that I liked more (My Fair Lady, for one), but I've never seen a cast that I liked more.