Spamalot

Spamalot
Book & Lyrics by Eric Idle
Music by Eric Idle and John Du Prez
Opened on Broadway - 2005
Orange County Preforming Arts Center, October 15th 2009
John O'Hurley as King Arthur



Now, since I actually saw this back in October it may be a bit fuzzy, but I will review it to the best of my memory's ability.

Spamalot is a 'hilarious send-up' of the formula Broadway tends to use in their musicals. The show is billed as "lovingly ripped off" of 1975's Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and as cliché as that may sound, it is probably the best way to describe the show. Spamalot follows the same basic plot as The Holy Grail, however it has more of an actual ending than the movie did (with audience participation!), while referencing sketches from Monty Python's Flying Circus and some of their other films.

Walking into the theater, I was greeted by the sounds of show music playing, as is normal. However, the music played before Spamalot was a wonderful mix of songs that spoofed every classic overture.
When the show actually begins, the first song to play is "Finland/Fisch Schlapping Dance", inspired by the fact that the cast heard 'Finland' instead of 'England', and the classic Monty Python Fish Slapping sketch.

Now, I know that sounds so cliché, and fairly dull, but the way that the cast acts out the entire section of insanity, combined with the elaborate costumes and wacky set, had my sister almost in tears from laughing so much. The entire audience was beside themselves from laughing. In the first 5 minutes of the show, which hadn't even started the story yet!

That was another fun thing about this show, the entire audience has seen the original film, and at least a few of the sketches, so they are all in on the same jokes. It's kind of like when you go so see a movie with your best friends, and the movie is ten times funner because you are all joking along. Only here, you have hundreds of friends in on the joke.

Eric Idle did a genus job in writing the lyrics; like the original Python, they are all hilarious, random, witty, and manage to spoof everything.
One stand out number is "The Song That Goes Like This". I kid you not, that is the song title. To get a general idea, I'll give you a few of the lines.

"Once in every show / There comes a song like this / It starts off soft and low/ And ends up with a kiss.../
A sentimental song / That casts a magic spell / They all will hum along / We'll overact like hell../
I'll sing it in your face / While we both embrace / And then / We change / The key..."

The song ends with smoke covering the stage floor, a boat behind them, dungeon like candelabras, and a chandelier.

The show even includes certain points (mostly in Act II) where the actors are told to improvise. When I saw the show a family friend was playing in the pit, and he told me that he never knew what to expect with the show. It was like seeing a different show every night. When I saw it, the beloved Knights of Ni scene was improvised so that the main Knight of Ni when angered, went into a rant that was line-for-line the Dead Parrot sketch. The audience absolutely loved it.

My cousins and I are all fans of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, incessantly quoting it back and forth. My mom has always gotten bored or fallen asleep every time we have tried to watch it with her, but she loved Spamalot. I think Spamalot moves a lot more quickly than the Holy Grail, which makes paying attention and hearing the jokes much easier. Every song is a riot, and is catchy enough to have you humming your way out of the theater. (Though I heard more people just plain singing their way out than humming).

If you don't really enjoy Monty Python, or satire, or sarcasm, then this is probably not the show for you. However, if you enjoy any of the above, I highly recommend seeing Spamalot when you are able. It seriously was the funnest and most hilarious show I have ever been to, and I loved every minute of it.