Urban Vibe

Issue date: 10/1/07 Section: Urban Happenings

Rachel de Bendet (Guenevere) stars beside Lou Diamond Phillips (King Arthur) in "Camelot."

Starring Lou Diamond Phillips as King Arthur, "Camelot," opened to an audience of 2,186 at the Civic Center in Des Moines Tuesday night.

The newest version of Lerner and Loewe's musical casts the lovely Rachel de Benedet alongside Phillips, as Queen Guenevere, in this humorous and entertaining rendition of the original 1960 hit.

Of course, the true original goes back much further.

The ideal of chivalry and country consumes Arthur in his "enchanted land" as does love and the thought of "happ'ly-ever-aftering" in the first act of "Camelot," while his bride-to-be, Guenevere, doesn't hide the notion that a "little war" starting on her behalf would be no less than "marvelous."

Darkness also accentuates the setting of the play as the sorceress Niume enchants Arthur's friend Merlin to no longer "remember the future." And later, when the king's bastard son, Mordred, attempts to undo Arthur.

"Camelot" is a tale of arrogance, displayed overwhelmingly by Lancelot in his amusing solo "C'est Moi," pitted against Arthur's self-sacrifice and belief in the ideal of law and peace.

Good action, beautiful costumes, and animated chorography - as displayed in "The Lusty Month of May" - mixed with the throes of lust and country and the torment of unrealized love makes "Camelot" a recipe for recreation and worth taking in.

The "Knights of the Round Table" will be making an appearance each evening thorough Sunday with matinees at 2:00 p.m. Saturday and 1:00 p.m. Sunday. Great seats are still available for $32.50 to $62.50. Call (515) 246-2300 or visit www.civiccenter.org for ticket information.

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