Monday 29 August 2016

Camelot – LONDON CAST****

Overture/I Wonder What The King Is Doing Tonight/The Simple Joys Of Maidenhood/Camelot/Follow Me/C’est Moi/The Lusty Month Of May/Take Me To The Fair/How To Handle A Woman/The Jousts/Before I Gaze At You Again/Fie On Goodness/If Ever I Would Leave You/The Seven Deadly Virtues/What Do The Simple Folk Do/I Loved Him Once In Silence/Camelot(Reprise)

The London production of Camelot opened at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in August 1964 and ran for 518 performances. Based on the legend of King Arthur it starred Lawrence Harvey and Elizabeth Larner. Music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. (UK:19)

"What becomes clear in every revival or presentation of the show is that the score by Lerner and Loewe is one of the most glorious in all musical theatre."

"The London cast album is a treasure. It feels quite different than its Broadway counterpart and includes The Jousts that wasn’t in the original Broadway cast album. Harvey is a great King Arthur, and Larner a wonderful Guinevere. Their performances are reason enough to cherish the London recording, but the whole thing has a vibrancy and sheen that is terrific, and that score - one great song after another. I think it’s safe to say that they don’t write ‘em like this anymore."

"I don't know why everyone raves about Richard Harris's version, this is beautiful and far superior. I saw the show and have the vinyl LP and it was and is magical. The orchestrations are far superior to any other and Lawrence Harvey draws you into his turmoil by the way he 'speaks' the songs. The London (Drury Lane) production surpasses due mainly to the orchestrations and because it started the story at the beginning instead of the end as Richard Harris does."

"The original London cast album offers a very different listening experience to the Broadway original, and includes some material (most notably The Jousts) not on the Broadway disc. It’s a different take on a familiar favourite."

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