On Friday, I saw Camelot at the DSavis Musical Theater Company's Hoblit
Performing Arts Center.
I enjoyed the production of Camelot, with its gales of laughter.
However, I do have a few questions about the plot:
Spoilers:
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Late in Act 2, King Arthur is trapped behind an invisible wall in the
forest. He sends Pellinore to warn Lancelot and Guenevere that they are
in danger. At that point, Pellinore seems to express awareness that
Lancelot and Guenevere are attracted to each other. Pellinore looks in
Lancelot's room and doesn't find him. He then encounters the knights,
well before they rebel. I expected Pellinore to then proceed to
Guenevere's chambers on the theory that Lancelot is visiting with her,
yet he never showed up! Why didn't he go to her chambers immediately
after leaving the knights?
Arthur being trapped gives Mordred an op****tunity to carry out his plot
to destroy Arthur. Mordred tells Sir Lancelot (who is in love with
Arthur's wife Queen Guenevere) that he has told Guenevere that Arthur
will be away all night. Thus, Lancelot sneaks up to the Queen's
chambers to make out with her. Mordred then gets the knights to join
with him to reject goodness and arrest Guenevere for treason (as
Lancelot escapes and goes
for help). A jury then convicts Guenevere and sentences her to be
burned at the stake. King Arthur then shows up, and the execution party
demands that he give the signal to carry out the execution, or betray
his belief in the rule of law. Why doesn't Arthur demand to review the
evidence before allowing the execution OF HIS OWN WIFE? He could have
said something like "The Queen has been convicted of treason on what
grounds? I was trapped in the forest all night, so didn't witness the
trial. Before I give the signal to carry out the execution, I demand to
review the evidence!".
At the very end, Arthur sends Guenevere and Lancelot off in seperate
directions. Why not have Lancelot protect Guenevere until she reaches
her proposed hiding place at a Holy Sister facility? (Arthur did not
strike me as one who would let his jealousy over Lancelot get in the way
of his wife's safety). Why didn't Lancelot insist on protecting
Guenevere? Lancelot: I will watch Guenevere very closely to make
certain she reaches the Holy Sisters safely.
I suggest that Lancelot recruit knights to fight for the restoration of
Camelot by promising them seats at a renewed Round Table.
Arthur setting up the Round Table, where knights would talk instead of
fighting. Can the Round Table knights pass legislation too?
Lancelot making suggestions on how to improve the Round Table system.
Sir Lionel and the Chorus singing "Guenevere" as Camelot falls.
Arthur ordering Tom of Warwick to spread word of Camelot far and wide.
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