Camelot (theatre)



Camelot is a 1960 musical by Lerner and Loewe, written shortly after the success of My Fair Lady. It is an adaptation of T.H. White's The Once and Future King, following the story of King Arthur.

At the start of the story, King Arthur is a young man, anxiously awaiting the arrival of his bride, Guinevere, who shares a similar amount of anxiety. Hilarity Ensues for a short while before they are married, but Merlin is abducted by Nimue before he can warn Arthur of the perils of the future. King Arthur decides to write a new code of chivalry, "where violence is not strength, and mercy is not weakness," and forms the round table.

Then comes along Sir Lancelot, an enormous braggart. Nobody really likes him that much, until he wins the tournament and seems to bring a slain knight back from the dead. Guinevere and Lancelot fall in love, which Arthur becomes painfully aware of.

It Gets Worse when Mordred, Arthur's illegitimate son comes, with the intention of ruining his father. He turns the knights back to their barbaric ways, and exposes the affair between Guinevere and Lancelot, leaving Arthur no choice but to have her executed. Lancelot comes rushing in to rescue her, but it incites a war.

The musical is most heavily associated with the Kennedy Administration, as JFK was a fan of the show.

Later adapted in 1968 by Warner Brothers into a movie starring Richard Harris as Arthur, Vanessa Redgrave as Guinevere and Franco Nero as Lancelot.

For the 2011 television series produced by Starz and GK-TV, see here.


 * The Ace: Sir Lancelot
 * Adapted Out: The film adapted completely removed Nimue and Morgan le Fey, both appeared in the play and had one-scene each.
 * Badass Baritone: Again, Sir Lancelot
 * Be Careful What You Wish For: Guinevere prays for "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood," which includes a knight pining for her, her being competed for, and people starting a "little war" for her. She gets all she asks for, but at the cost of her marriage and Camelot itself.
 * Being Evil Sucks: Arthur tries to convince Mordred of this.
 * Being Good Sucks: Mordred convinces the knights of this in "Fie on Goodness."
 * Bittersweet Ending:
 * Card-Carrying Villain: Mordred
 * Cut Song: "Fie on Goodness" is cut from some productions. Another number, between Mordred and Morgan LeFey, is often cut. Nobody misses it.
 * Dark Reprise: Of the title song, towards the end. Though it's more bittersweet than dark.
 * Flash Back: The re-worked version(taken from the film) has the entire show be a flashback from the perspective of King Arthur on the night before the final battle.
 * "I Am" Song: "C'est Moi."
 * One-Scene Wonder: Nimue, singing "Follow Me."
 * Only Mostly Dead: Sir Lionel at the jousting.
 * Small Name, Big Ego: Sir Lancelot is this, to everyone's irritation.
 * Villain Song: "The Seven Deadly Virtues" and "Fie on Goodness"