Camelot

I never understood the appeal of Camelot. Did people like it because of the Kennedys? Did they ONLY go to see it because it was on Ed Sullivan?

I still don't get it. I listened to it several times, hoping I would see what others saw. I never did. Besides "If Ever I Would Leave You" (a perfect front-line tag) being literally INSPIRING music, what do we have here? Another story of a woman in a healthy, love-filled relationship running away from her super nice husband. In Bridges SOMEHOW they justified it. They did not in The Baker's Wife and they don't in Camelot.

I listen to Camelot and I am mainly bored with the music. I know this must sound like blasphemy to some people, but I can't help it. It is so boring. The only good thing is that Julie Andrews sounds like a literal angel. Her voice was perfect. I guess people tend to like Robert Goulet a lot, too (not me). SO much happens in this play. I read that the first previews ran for over four hours. Can you imagine!!?! I would have died.

Lerner and Loewe are good, and they deserve their place in the hierarchy of musical theatre, but man, I tried, and I just can't get on board with Camelot.


Camelot
Music by Frederick Loewe
Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner