BOOK REVIEW: One More Seat at the Round Table by Susan Dormady Eisenberg

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

One More Seat at the Round Table by Susan Dormady Eisenberg is a real treat for theater lovers and will especially resonate with fans of the classic Lerner and Loewe musical Camelot. This novel takes the reader backstage through the whole pre-production process and continues through the eventual triumph in New York.

The main protagonist is a stage-struck young woman, Jane Conroy, who pulls some friend-of-the-family strings to get a job as a gal-Friday, working for Alan Lerner’s production assistant. Her love interest is Bryce Christmas, a young actor with a voice made for Broadway. He is hired to play Sir Lionel, one of the supporting cast and understudy to Lancelot. Jane and Bryce navigate the dual challenges of a budding love affair and being a part of the launching of a new Broadway show.

The love story is sweet. There are bumps in the road but the conflict is pretty minimal because the two are so reasonable. This allows the reader to enjoy the romance while mainly concentrating on the play, because what really shines is the excitement of the theater experience. The novel is meticulously detailed, immersing the reader in the ride. The 1960 original was so fraught with troubles, from the scripting to initial off-Broadway poor reviews to illness of the writer and director, that the play might never even have made it to Broadway. The novel brings out the tension and doubts very well. At the same time, the camaraderie of the crew and their protectiveness of the play gave it a warm, fuzzy feeling. 

I was fortunate to see the 1980 Broadway revival of Camelot and it has remained one of my favorite musicals. As I read, I could hear the old show tunes in my head and it brought a smile to my face, remembering. But even if you’ve never seen Camelot, this book is well worth reading.