One second, you're sitting in the audience of the grand Schubert Theatre in downtown Boston, and the next, you're swallowed into a medieval world of passionate lust, evil sorcery and chivalry, with a lovely musical score to go along with it.
The show begins on a magical snowy day in the beloved kingdom of Camelot. There, we see a number of animal creatures frolicking through the snow while King Arthur (Joseph Dellger) hides in a tree, looking to sneak a peek at his new wife-to-be, Guinevere (Nili Bassman).
At once, the audience is welcomed to the show with a bright, opulent and cheery stage. One can easily see that detail is important to set designers Michael Anania and Jerome Martin who worked to incorporate every possible fantastic element of medieval life into the production.
What's more, the pair use the modern stage of the Schubert to their advantage in creating designs that show off the theatre's versatility. Scene changes transition smoothly, despite involving large-scale set pieces.
The theatre itself is used as a prop of sorts; the top two box seats on either side of the stage are constantly incorporated into the production, and characters are seated there during certain parts of the show.
Director Gabriel Barre's stage directions emphasize the crux of the story - the intense love triangle between King Arthur, his wife Guinevere, and King Arthur's right-hand man, Lancelot. This dynamic is artistically and subtly expressed throughout the production. The furtive looks that Lancelot and Guinevere exchange while King Arthur is in the room are especially powerful in conveying the treacherous adultery going on in Camelot.
Along with Barre's interest in the theme of infidelity, he highlights the more comedic parts of the show as well. In the number "C'est Moi," Lancelot sings a song about himself and walks through a series of comedic vignettes where he defends all those in harm's way.
Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's lyrics remain as entertaining as ever, playing on aspects of the King Arthur story that audiences still find funny 45 years after they were written.
"I'm not very accomplished at thinking, so I have Merlin do it for me," King Arthur says at one point. This cynicism entertains audience members of all ages and keeps them on their toes.
It's evident that the cast works hard to keep the audience enthralled. Actors who work in musical theatre in general must be accomplished multi-taskers, since they dance and sing as well as act, and this cast is certainly up to the challenge.
Joseph Dellger conveys an extremely masculine presence on stage with a deep baritone voice that resonates confidence and poise. Bassman's Guinevere, on the other hand, uses her naive and delicate femininity in her portrayal of the young queen. Although some songs were a bit high for her and she was occasionally out of her vocal range, eventually Bassman warmed up and her vocal flexibility became apparent.
The supporting cast is equally talented, providing the perfect complement to Dellger and Bassman's leads. Adam Wylie exhibits his talent and flexibility in a variety of characters. Maxime Alvarez de Toledo provides a strong Lancelot with a sweet baritone voice, but his accent is a bit put-on, despite his heritage. Josh Grisetti, who plays Arthur's evil son Mordred, on the other hand, was able to manage a splendid Scottish accent for the entire show. David Coffee was brilliantly eccentric as the oddball King Pellinore.
Pamela Scofield designed the costumes to fit into the luxurious medieval motif; most were bright in color and had a sumptuous appearance onstage. Scofield adds a modern touch to the ancient tale by having Adam Wylie's page character wear jeans in all of the scenes, a reference to Mark Twain's book, "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court."
The North Shore Music Theatre troupe's new production of Camelot is truly awe-inspiring, leaving audiences on their feet, clamoring for more. Despite the fact that this is a particularly long production, the audience is enthralled by every detailed action that takes place on stage.
All in all, the Shubert's dazzling and spectacular production of Camelot truly defies expectations and leaves audience members wanting more.
