King Arthur: A short history
Le Navet Bete have been busy storming the UK with their hysterical spins on classic tales, garnering plenty of rave reviews and a league of loyal fans. Now they’re back with their reimagining of King Arthur – and this October, it’s coming to Arthur’s rumoured stomping ground, the northwest! With the show only a sword and a stone's throw away, we’re taking a look at Arthurian legend, its connections to Cumbria, and its history of serious and not so-serious adaptations.
Le Navet Bete’s King Arthur
While much of King Arthur’s legend was fictionalized and emblazoned in folklore, his story inspired centuries of writers. In the 11th century, Geoffrey of Monmouth and Chrétien de Troyes created fanciful tales, with the former inventing Guinevere, Merlin, and Excalibur, and the latter adding the knights and the Holy Grail. The legend even inspired kings: Henry VIII, Edward I, and Edward III were all Arthur enthusiasts who borrowed symbolism such as the Round Table for their diplomatic affairs.
The legend also has local roots, with several fascinating sites in the Lake District. In Eamont Bridge, you can visit the Round Table, thought to be a meeting place for Arthur’s knights or possibly a jousting arena. The beautiful Bassenthwaite lake is said to be the site of Excalibur. The mythical Avalon, where Arthur supposedly died, is thought to be the Cumbrian mountain Blencathra. Pendragon Castle in Mallerstang was built by Arthur’s father, Uther Pendragon. And if that’s not enough, Camelot may have been in Carlisle!
King Arthur’s Round Table
The legend has inspired Medieval poems (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight), Victorian literature (Tennyson wrote Idylls of the King while overlooking Bassenthwaite Lake), Disney (The Sword in the Stone), and stage shows all over the world (La Légende du roi Arthur produced some serious Celtic bangers). A long line of influence can be traced from Thomas Malory’s 15th century collection Le Morte d'Arthur, including T. H. White’s The Once and Future King (1958). White’s novels inspired the Broadway musical Camelot, which was adapted into the classic film starring Richard Harris and Vanessa Redgrave.
Bassenthwaite Lake
While Arthurian legend lent itself to such a long history of serious romantic works, it stands to reason that it’s also prime parody material. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) ingrained a ton of iconic quotes into the nation’s vocabulary. The musical adaptation Monty Python’s Spamalot (2004) starred Tim Curry, won the Tony Award for Best Musical, and even has a Grammy. The TV show Merlin (2008-12) also shows a lighter side of the legend, reimagining Merlin as a young man who must hide his power in a Camelot where magic is outlawed, all while having to save the arrogant Prince Arthur from a new threat every week.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Le Navet Bete’s show continues Python’s esteemed tradition of Arthurian slapstick. So get the coconuts ready and ‘run awaaay!!’ to the Dukes from 14th - 18th October for a night of entertainment that families, comedy fans, and historians* alike will love!
*Historical accuracy not guaranteed.
Written by Jodie Passey
