Listen to Aunt Eller...it's OK to bend it a little but don't break it

[dickg2]

Posted: 6/28/23 at 12:21am

This is a woefully broken revival.  Some parts look and sound good but Sher should know better.

Before today's technology a Broadway show involved a lot of belting to get the music out with the story subservient.  The original cast had three of the best voices: Richard Burton, Robert Goulet and Julie Andrews who were also accomplished actors.  Then came the 1967 film in which there was chemistry at work.

Richard Harris' King Arthur was a self-admitted bit of a klutz who accidentally ascended to the throne.  He is a witty, humble king with feelings and vulnerabilities.  He loves and adores Guenevere, played by Vanessa Redgrave, who, like Harris, did not overstate her role.  Arthur has this ideal of "might for right" which attracts Sir Lancelot from France.  Originally repulsed by the Frenchman, played by Franco Nero, Guenevere becomes attracted to him and both Lance and Guenevere are conflicted by their love for Arthur and his principles coexisting with their own passion.  Arthur does not want to accept this is happening and he, also, is conflicted because he loves them, too.  The film does a pretty darn good job of showing the passion and conflicts, fueled, of course, by the arrival of Mordred, the bastard of a bastard.

Richard Harris was, I guess, the gold standard for Arthur.  Not the bellicose voice of Burton but more in line for what Arthur was: an ordinary guy turned accidental king.  The original versions, of course, had moments or merriment and magic with Merlin and Pellinore and three hours is a long time for a modern audience.  The trick for Sher was not to throw out the baby with the water.  Fortunately the music is still there but straying too far from the script and diluting the chemistry just doesn't work and, again, Sher should know better.  Today's technology is a far cry from 1967 and he should have been looking for ways to improve upon the film and original casts.  With Burton, Goulet, Andrews, Harris, Redgrave and Nero that's a tall order but certainly not impossible.

Think of West Side Story.  Bernstein. Sondheim. Robbins. Incredible music and choreography that's withstood the test of time.  The original cast and movie versions were creatures of their time in terms of technology and the fakeness of using Anglo actors to play Puerto Rican characters.  The more recent productions have evolved to try to move toward a more balanced presentation with appropriate ethnic representation.  More important, the latter day casts are doing a more accurate rendition of Tony and Maria as what they were: two teenagers infatuated with each other, head over heels.  With such powerful music and dance and a dark story it was all too easy to ignore that in the past.  When you see chemistry between Maria and Tony it makes the story line more believable.  The current incarnation of Camelot has the cast.  It needs chemistry and authenticity.  

 

[Owen22]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 9:09am

dickg2 said: "This is a woefully broken revival. Some parts look and sound good but Sher should know better.

Before today's technology a Broadway show involved a lot of belting to get the music out with the story subservient. The original cast had three of the best voices: Richard Burton, Robert Goulet and Julie Andrews who were also accomplished actors. Then came the 1967 film in which there was chemistry at work.

Richard Harris' King Arthur was a self-admitted bit of a klutz who accidentally ascended to the throne. He is a witty, humble king with feelings and vulnerabilities. He loves and adores Guenevere, played by Vanessa Redgrave, who, like Harris, did not overstate her role. Arthur has this ideal of "might for right" which attracts Sir Lancelot from France. Originally repulsed by the Frenchman, played by Franco Nero, Guenevere becomes attracted to him and both Lance and Guenevere are conflicted by their love for Arthur and his principles coexisting with their own passion. Arthur does not want to accept this is happening and he, also, is conflicted because he loves them, too. The film does a pretty darn good job of showing the passion and conflicts, fueled, of course, by the arrival of Mordred, the bastard of a bastard.

Richard Harris was, I guess, the gold standard for Arthur. Not the bellicose voice of Burton but more in line for what Arthur was: an ordinary guy turned accidental king. The original versions, of course, had moments or merriment and magic with Merlin and Pellinore and three hours is a long time for a modern audience. The trick for Sher was not to throw out the baby with the water. Fortunately the music is still there but straying too far from the script and diluting the chemistry just doesn't work and, again, Sher should know better. Today's technology is a far cry from 1967 and he should have been looking for ways to improve upon the film and original casts. With Burton, Goulet, Andrews, Harris, Redgrave and Nero that's a tall order but certainly not impossible.

Think of West Side Story. Bernstein. Sondheim. Robbins. Incredible music and choreography that's withstood the test of time. The original cast and movie versions were creatures of their time in terms of technology and the fakeness of using Anglo actors to play Puerto Rican characters. The more recent productions have evolved to try to move toward a more balanced presentation with appropriate ethnic representation. More important, the latter day casts are doing a more accurate rendition of Tony and Maria as what they were: two teenagers infatuated with each other, head over heels. With such powerful music and dance and a dark story it was all too easy to ignore that in the past. When you see chemistry between Maria and Tony it makes the story line more believable. The current incarnation of Camelot has the cast. It needs chemistry and authenticity."

Thank you.

 

[The Other One]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 4:33pm

Do you know what bellicose means?  Because, if you do, I can not fathom how you could have found Burton's voice bellicose.  Personally I am not a fan of Harris's performance, but that's just a matter of opinion.  To each his own.  But Burton's voice being described as bellicose sounds like a mistake to me.

(bellicose bĕl′ĭ-kōs″ adjective

1. Warlike or hostile in manner or temperament. synonym: belligerent.
2. Inclined to war or contention; warlike; pugnacious.
3. Warlike in nature; aggressive; hostile.)