Stage Review - Camelot (Village Theatre)

Stage Review - Camelot
Presented By: Village Theatre - Issaquah, WA
Show Run: September 10 - October 13, 2024 (Everett Run October 19 - November 10)
Date Reviewed: Sunday, September 22, 2024
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman

When I see any show produced by Village Theatre on my schedule, it’s always something that I look forward to as some of the best professional theatre in the Seattle area can be found behind its doors in Issaqua and Everett. When I do come to Village, the first thing that I’m always excited to see is what I refer to as the “big reveal”, that moment upon walking into the auditorium and seeing the set, pre-show in all its glory. It provides a preview of the current show’s scenic design, giving audiences a glimpse of the level of detail that they’re about to experience on stage. And with each designer’s fingerprints on a particular set, it’s a lot like a looking forward to an artist’s new piece of work, to discover what they’ve come up with. Parmida Ziaei’s name has been associated with some of the most creative scenic designs over the past few years here in Seattle, including her receipt of a Sound on Stage nomination for her work last season. When I interviewed her a few months back, she casually mentioned that she was working on designing the set for Village Theatre’s opening production for 2024-25, Camelot. Immediately, I noted this and knew that I’d be in for something special. Camelot, the classic Lerner and Loewe musical, which debuted on Broadway in 1960, has been through a number of revisions and versions, and the adaptation of the Legend of King Arthur running on stage at Village Theatre in Issaquah through October 13 (before moving to Everett to run October 19 through November 10) is the latest that aims to keep the heart of the story and its classic musical numbers, while simplifying it to make it more palatable to audiences weary of the story’s typical length and complexity. What I’m most excited about in writing this piece is just how well this version of the story works, and how the production is absolutely everything I’d hoped it would be.

Immediately upon entering the theatre, the set does stand out, two semi-spiral staircases flanking a stage and its platform, upon which is displayed Excalibur, with a single spotlight illuminating it from above, as if the famous sword is reaching to the heavens. By the time the show begins, Excalibur has disappeared from its mount and an ensemble takes the stage to introduce the show. And the actors aren’t the only group revealed, a curtain toward the rear of the stage is pulled back to give the audience a view of the orchestra, the musical accompaniment for the show. The orchestra, under the direction of Michael Nutting, is just one of the wonderful aspects of Village’s Camelot Parmida’s set is not altogether complicated, but it’s beautiful and it’s utilitarian. The staircases lead to a perch, or a loft, an upper area of the stage that is used for some of the more intimate or important scenes, the ones that require a special focus. Meanwhile the platform on the main part of the stage represents any number of areas in Camelot, it’s Arthur and Guenevere’s bedroom, and it’s round so of course it’s also a symbolic representation of the infamous table around which Arthur’s knights gather. The beauty of this design doesn’t just stop with the set, it’s also Alberto Segarra’s lighting and Robertson Wilmer’s sound that accentuate Parmida’s design elements and feed into a much grander depiction of Camelot. Costumes are fabulous, Pete Rush has designed pieces that are not just big and bold, but they’re layered, which comes in handy when characters need to dress or disrobe when a scene calls for either. I also appreciate the coordination in costumes between Arthur and Guenevere, as if they’ve discussed what they were going to wear in the morning and made sure to match, but Pete’s work isn’t just good with his king and queen. Each of the Knights has a different color for his attire, their clothes thick and durable, while Lancelot looks the part of the warrior, or when he sits down to sing with his guitar like he’s just come from a battle. And the costumes for the show’s Mayday celebration are exquisite, Guenevere’s pink dress is stunning and she’s adorned in flowery accoutrements, while Lancelot’s blue costume is complemented by a silver cape, making him look like the valuable catch that Guenevere believes he is.

Camelot just wouldn’t be as we know it without the principal three participants in the infamous love triangle that not just helped to build its empire, but that also would eventually lead to its ruin. Arthur, ordained by his ability to pull Excalibur from the stone, is so set on building a righteous kingdom based on fairness and peace, he fails to see what is good for focusing on what is right. What is good is his queen, Guenevere, whom he is unknowingly betrothed to, but falls in love with on his own, as he sees her dancing through the glen (“The Simple Joys of Maidenhood”). As he calls for the best knights to surround his round table (again, equitable as there is no “head” of the table if it is a circle), he garners to the attention of the Frenchman Lancelot. With a husband more set on building a kingdom than nurturing his marriage, Guenevere turns to the attractive and brave newcomer for what is missing in her relationship with Arthur. Meanwhile, Lancelot, in order to prove himself a knight, challenges the others to a joust (“The Jousts”), whereby he proves himself not just strong enough to join the round table, but also solidifying his spot as Arthur’s right hand. The trio are loyal to each other, in different ways, and have to come to grips with each other’s feelings for each other. Act 1 of the musical is most definitely the setup, while Act 2 deals with the fallout from their triangle, the other knights suspicious of what they feel is Lancelot’s treasonous relationship with Guenevere, and Arthur continuing to turn a blind eye to it, until he cannot possibly. With the conflict that Act 2 brings, the Village Theatre production takes a beautiful and stunning show and makes it an epic, with some of the best stage combat that I’ve seen, along with the other design elements mentioned above taken to a new level. And while Parmida’s set really doesn’t change all that much in the show, the way that Adam uses it to tell his story is pure excellence. Adam’s blocking is just so natural here, and Geoffrey Alm’s work as fight and intimacy coordinator brings some of the most heartfelt moments of the show to bear as well as the most realistic looking sword fights that you’ll see on Seattle stages. Add to that Kathryn Van Meter’s excellent choreography in the musical numbers, and Camelot is a show that is full of motion, smooth when it needs to be, and violent when the story calls for it, but always purposeful and always precise.

Adam has built a really fine show here, and it’s not just with his vision and design, it’s also through his casting. Harter Clingman is excellent as Arthur. Harter captures the entire arc of Arthur’s rise and subsequent fall artfully, he’s young and enthusiastic when he meets his Guenevere, but as he builds his kingdom, and loses focus on his marriage, his internal conflict is palpable, especially when he comes to the realization that Guenevere is seeking romantic fulfillment elsewhere. The way Harter portrays this emotional cornucopia is wonderful to watch. And he’s a masterful singer, joyous and new in “I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight”, introspective in “How to Handle a Woman” and melancholy in “What Do the Simple Folk Do?”, and beautiful duet with Jessica Skerritt’s Guenevere. And beautiful may just be the best word to describe Jessica’s performance as Guenevere. It’s a role that it feels like she was born to play, from the innocence she portrays in “The Simple Joys of Maidenhood”, the compexities of her relationships with both Arthur and Lancelot, Jessica infuses this performance with love and with determination. Guenevere is strong and loyal, and with Jessica’s strong soprano accentuating the vocal aspects of her performance, it’s just a marvelous experience to watch. And of course there’s no triangle without Lancelot, and Adam James King knocks this one out of the park. His Lancelot is very well aware of what is right, but feelings can’t be denied, despite loyalties to king and crown. Adam is a talented actor and singer, and all of that is on display here, including his skills in stage combat. It’s a treat to watch people who are experts at their craft deliver, and that’s just what this trio of actors are, and they do deliver.

On the supporting side, with Brandon O’Neill as Sir Dinadan, Matthew Posner as Sir Sagramore, and Jadd Davis as Sir Lionel, the round table is well represented, and these three actors who are all top notch, each bringing his own flair and unique personality to each character. Nik Hagan as Squire Dap and Rhys Daly as Tom round out the supporting cast in Camelot.

The legend of King Arthur is something so familiar to us, that we sometimes lose the fact that it is just that, a legend, and that Arthur as we know him in relation to Camelot is not a true historical figure. The story has been told so many times, and musical versions of the tale of Arthur, Guenevere, Lancelot, and the round table have tended to be arduous, complex, long, and just not appetizing. Thankfully, the Village Theatre adaptation of Camelot is none of those things. By paring the story down, the audience gets to its heart, and by casting it with a trio of superb leads and an excellent supporting cast, not to mention a design team comprised of some of Seattle’s best designers, artisans, and craftspeople, Director Adam Immerwahr has produced a version of Camelot that is the most enjoyable that I’ve seen, and I’d be willing to bet a few gold shillings that you’ll feel the same.

Camelot runs on stage at Village Theatre in Issaquah through October 13 before moving to its Everett theatre for a run from October 19 through November 10. For more information, including ticket availability and sales, visit https://villagetheatre.org/.

Photo credit: Auston James