“Camelot” rules at the Goodspeed

EAST HADDAM — Step back into a spellbinding world of chivalry, magic, knights in shining armor at the round table, and grand visions of a world without war in Goodspeed Opera House’s production of “Camelot.”
First produced on Broadway in 1960 and then made into a major motion picture in 1967, this timeless musical features some of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe’s finest, most whimsical and heartfelt music, including the sultry “The Lusty Month of May,” where Guenevere sings that in May they can to be “proper or im,” and “wholesome or un.”
King Arthur is played by Bradley Dean with proper royal pomp and earnest striving, which occasionally reverts to an annoying whininess. Dean is so close to the greatness required of being king, but at times over-reaches. His voice is strong, fine, and clear, particularly when he sings the rousing theme song, “Camelot.”
Erin Davie plays Guenevere with appropriate haughtiness, but when confronted by the super stiff Lancelot, she misses the opportunity to really have fun as the petulant, spoiled, frivolous, young debutante that she is at first — (i.e., see Paris Hilton.) This would have given her eventual transition into a grown up serious woman who is deeply in love more gravitas.
Maxime de Toledo as Lancelot hits that character on all cylinders. Not so easy playing someone who is perfect, and he makes that self-sacrificing superior knight transition into a softer loving man believable.
Looking remarkably like the actor Rupert Everett, Toledo has the French accent and phrasing down, so that even when he is singing he still make he clearly articulates — not an easy achievement, but then he is, dare I say, perfect.
Toledo sings one of the most beautiful heartbreaking love songs ever written, “If Ever I Should Leave You,” and he sings it with heartfelt sincerity with a gorgeous, rich voice, but he seems to almost swallow some of the phrases a bit during the song.
It’s all fine and well to play the honorable hero, but the more evil the villain, the better the show, and Mordred, Arthur’s illegitimate son, here played by Adam Shonkwiler, is pointedly edgy and fantastic.
He’s funny too when he says that his step-father hated him so much that he gave him one of his mother’s magic youth potions that took ten years off of his life when he is nine, making him minus one.
Shonkwiler has a terrific Scottish accent that beautifully enhances his menacing, undermining, and scheming ways, giving a biting, conniving, and brittle performance that is a fine foil to Arthur’s lofty vulnerable goals of a new world order where might doesn’t make right and laws prevail. Mordred says with relish, “I cannot wait to rush in where angels fear to tread,” and you know he means it.
Mordred’s moral deficiency highlights how much more difficult it is to build up than to tear down.
Arthur struggles to create a world where “might doesn’t make right,” and “compassion is not weakness,” and establishing a world of laws and courts, and juries, rather than one where disputes are settled with bloodshed. All issues that we in our seemingly civilized world still haven’t figured out how to do.
At one point Arthur says in frustrated exasperation to Mordred, “The adage ‘blood is thicker than water’ is invented by undeserving relatives,” which received a knowing laugh from the audience. Still, he takes to heart the another adage — “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
Director Rob Ruggiero does an innovative job utilizing the tiny Goodspeed stage, having the knights often entering from the aisles onto the stage — giving the show a more intense and intimate feeling.
The costumes, of which there were many, by Alejo Wietti, were period perfect, with long, flowing, colorful, low-waisted gowns from the gals and fine elegant leather bodkins and gorgeous leather boots for the men. The custom-molded armor is classy and appropriate. At first glance it looks like real pounded steel, but is most likely made from some kind of lightweight plastic polymer.
The simple, almost Japanese-like set, by Michael Schweikardt, works well on the tiny stage. Rather than have an elaborate and cumbersome castle, the palace is inferred with a great rock wall against the background that looks like an indoor rock-climber’s dream, well lit by John Lasiter.
Schweikardt also utilizing four sliding snowflake screens to fine effect, sliding them in and out to keep the stage visually interesting without being obtrusive.
There are many horns in the orchestra pit, always a danger for overpowering the singers, but here, with fine orchestrations by Dan DeLange and musical direction by Michael O’Flaherty, this is not an issue.
Come and enjoy this “fleeting wisp of glory” known as “Camelot.”

CAMELOT

3 Stars
Location: Goodspeed Opera House, 6 Main Street, East Haddam
Production: Music by Frederick Lowe. Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Directed by Rob Ruggiero. Scenery design by Michael Schweikardt. Costume design by Alejo Wietti. Lighting Design by John Lasiter. Sound design by Jay Hilton. Orchestrations by Dan DeLange. Musical director Michael O’Flaherty. Choreography by Ralph Perkins.
Running time: 3 hours, with one intermission
Show Times: Wednesday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (with select performances at 2 p.m.); Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. with Saturday matinee at 3 p.m.; Saturday matinee at 3 p.m. and Sunday matinee at 2 p.m., with select Sunday evening performance at 6:30 p.m. through Sept. 19.
Tickets: $27.50 — $74.50. Call the box office at 860-873-8668 or visit their website at www.goodspeed.org
ACTOR…CHARACTER
Bradley Dean … King Arthur
Erin Davie … Guenevere
Maxime de Toledo … Lancelot
Adam Shonkwiler … Mordred
Ronn Carroll … King Pellinore
Herman Petras … Merlyn