Friday, August 28, 1970

Honolulu Star-Bulletin

It Was a Night of Mod Armor

By Jip Pruden

Schofield Barracks was witness last night to "a fleeting wisp of glory called Camelot."

Actually, there was more than just a fleeting wisp in a production in which good staging, strong direction by Vanita Rae Smith and excellent music jousted with a tedious script and an occasional lapse on the part of the actors or their voices.

I'm happy to say the towers of the legendary home of King Arthur still stand in much of their original splendor; and although the armor may be a little dented, it's serviceable.

If you've seen Camelot -- either on the stage or screen -- don't expect to see a copy of the grandeur or magnificent costumes which you saw before.

The production on the stage of the Schofield Barracks Special Services Auditorium has neither elaborate sets nor representative costumes. It is produced with one set and in very modern dress.

It is difficult to believe that a girl in a yellow pants suit is supposed to be the Queen of England. And, for that matter, a man in a psuchedilically colored mod shirt doesn't look much like the King either.

However, once you get over the visual shock of a tale of knighthood told in today's styles, you will find yourself carried along with the familiar music and a completely original staging concept and you should enjoy yourself in spite of what may have been serious reservations.

The single set is used to excellent advantage. The secret here is in a very intimate lighting system which keeps you from remembering that the rest of the stage is still there and is currently unused.

Christopher Waugh, as Arthur, and Lynne Hicks, as his Guenevere, help you realize that the original costuming is not at all necessary for the play to be enjoyable. In fact, the mod costumes are so constructed that they do seem to be proper for the time and place of the action.

Miss Hicks has studied at the University of Portland and at ACT in San Francisco. She has appeared locally in the HCT production of Black Comedy. It is unfortunate that she was forced into a few songs beyond her natural range because her voice is excellent when she is allowed to drop below a Julie Andrews high. Her characterization is very good but she sometimes overdoes things a little to the detriment of the rest of the cast -- some of whom have no previous experience.

Nevertheless, she makes you wish you could help her find her way out of the triangle in which she becomes embroiled.

Chris Waugh, a Marine at Pearl Harbor, has been in musicals before. This is only too apparent in his control and treatment of his songs as Arthur. He has a great potential, both as an actor and as a singer.

There are so many strong points in this production that it would be tedious (there's that word again) to try to list them. But the Court's rendition of the Greek Chorus-like "Guenevere" in the second act is probably the highlight of the whole show. Much of the credit for this belongs to Don Allton, musical director of the Honolulu Chorale as well as this play.

The lighting was designed and operated by Frank Herman, whose work has been seen in most of the past year's plays at Schofield Barracks.

Finally, the villain and villainess (unwittingly though she may have filled the role) deserve credit for their contributions. Harry Burgen portrayed the scheming Mordred so well that it was impossible not to dislike him. He made "The Seven Deadly Virtues" seem attractive if only because he decried them so effeftively in his song.

Margot Adcock, a wisp of a girl, played Morgan Le Fey, the constantly hungry dupe whom Mordred tricks into betraying Arthur. She is probably one of the more comely witches I have seen in many years. She dances well and her costume and makeup are worth seeing in themselves.

The play runs tonight through Sunday and Thursday through Sunday next week. Admission is free and it is open to the public.