Published: September 28, 2009 01:53 pm      

PLAYHOUSE REVIEW: Camelot is an enjoyable performance

The legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table comes alive on the main of stage of the Cumberland County Playhouse. The musical Camelot is beautifully produced with moments of both pathos and humor.

Britt Hancock is a properly majestic Arthur. He has pulled the sword Excalibur from the stone. His success has led to his being crowned king of Camelot. We meet him shyly hiding in the tree, hesitant about his upcoming marriage. What joy, as he realizes the beautiful maiden he sees in the forest is his bride-to-be. Nicole Begue, with her soaring soprano voice, brings Guinevere to life. Both Arthur and Guinevere are doing some soul searching prior to becoming the king and queen of Camelot. Hancock’s musing “I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight” and Begue’s “The Simple Joys of Maidenhood” are a lovely beginning to their discovery of one another. Hancock sings the title song, “Camelot” with his penetrating baritone.

Who better than Jason Ross, who has for so many years brought joy with each step upon the stage, to bring us Merlin the magician? From Merlin comes the idea of the Knights of the Round Table. Wisdom can best be learned, brotherhood experienced and peace sought most deeply, around a Round Table, where there is neither a head nor a foot but everyone has a voice. Each TV image of long tables with men and women meeting to deal current societal issues leads me to long for a contemporary Merlin.

Merlin rejoices that Arthur has found a wife; he tells us that Arthur needed that more than a lecture. (Clearly, he has tried lecturing!) He is tired of battles for no reason at all, commenting that the armor knights wear is the only thing good about war.

Arthur shall bring about a new order with might used only for right. These peaceful knights will ride forth their armor only for that purpose. After all, war is just a chess game in which countries lose to one another.

The talented Nathaniel Hackman plays the handsome Lancelot; we are grateful to have Hackman here for his second season. Lancelot, in France, has heard the news of this new type of knighthood and wants the opportunity to be a Knight of the Round Table. He introduces himself as he sings the delightful “C’est Moi.”

Gathered in the countryside in “The Lusty Month of May,” we meet the ensemble of the cast: the Lords and Knights: Elliot Cunningham, Bob Rogers, Michael Ruff, Quinn Cason, Bob Cleeland and Larry Lively; as well as the Ladies of Camelot: Anne Staler, Lauren Marshall, LeKeta Booker, Sara Scronce, Leila Nelson, Briana Smylie, Judy Murphy, Carol Skiles, Kali Larson, Tori Allred, Makaya Moore, Tori Cannon, Alexis Moore, and Rachel Charbonnet-Baker. As always, choreographer Michele Colvin and costume designer Rebel Mickelson enable this group to bring beauty and grace to their parts in the show.

But, all is not well in Camelot. Guinevere dislikes Lancelot on first meeting. She demands a jousting match. Hancock tells us of Arthur’s struggle to understand her attitude as he asks in song “How to Handle a Woman.”

Daniel Black as Sir Dinadan, Bob Cleeland as Sir Lionel, and Michael Ruff as Sir Sagramore engage in a jousting match. They have learned this difficult skill well; their moves are executed as though they had been jousting for years.

The other Lords and Knights, along with the Ladies come to watch and cheer Lancelot in his victory. The victory appears to have affected Guinevere in an unexpected way. There is new trouble in Camelot. Begue sings the yearning “Before I Gaze at You Again,” as Lancelot agrees to leave for foreign conquests rather than act on his love of Guinevere.

Act two finds two years have passed. Hackman brings us a deeply moving “If Ever I Would Leave You” as Lancelot returns. Enter Craig Blake as Mordred. We celebrate the fact that the talented Blake is back for his fourth season. His skill shines as he plays Arthur’s illegitimate son who has arrived to do as much damage as possible in Camelot. It takes real talent to have the audience dislike you almost on sight. Mordred is a character we love to hate!

Hancock and Begue unite their voices as they ask together “What Do Simple Folks Do?” Their struggle is poignantly portrayed. Arthur does go to wage war in France. He meets a young stowaway, whom he knights on the spot, encouraging him to return to England to grow up. The hope of Arthur is that the ideals of the Knights of the Round Table may emerge again in the next generation.

A word must be said about the pages, whose ability to be absolutely immobile, is remarkable! Kali Larson and Tori Allred alternate as Page #1. Isaiah Banegas is Page #2.

As a “dog person,” I do feel that Liddy Banegas does a fine job as Horrid. Thanks to the Cumberland County Humane Society for caring for this docile and engaging mutt until her stage talents were discovered.

Ron Murphy and his pit orchestra, Kathy Bowers, Joe and Judy Brindisi, Greg Danner, Tony Greco, Chet Hayes, Buster Irvin, Wayne Robbins and Robert Thatcher and Elaine Weyant undergird and support the show throughout with their understanding of the music of Frederick Loewe.

Director John Fionte brings to the Playhouse stage a show that can be enjoyed by the whole family. A bit of review of the Legends of King Arthur adds to its enjoyment.

Alan Jay Lerner wrote the book and lyrics for Camelot, based on The Once and Future King by T.H. White. A bit of history: Camelot was first produced in 1960 with Richard Burton as Arthur, Julie Andrews as Guinevere and Robert Goulet as Lancelot. Moss Hart directed and staged the original production.

I suspect Mr. Hart would have been pleased with the work of John Fionte on this production. I loved it. Order your tickets, it only runs through November 8.