Having first played King Arthur for a succesful West End run last summer, comedian Joe Pasquale is back in the role for a UK tour that takes him to New Victoria Woking in March. Read extracts from Lucy's Johnston's recent interview.
Joe Pasquale is talking at the speed of light, the adrenaline already surging ahead of a panto matinee in Northampton later that same afternoon. His panto run ended January and he dived straight into Spamalot rehearsals the following day.
"I grew up with Monty Python and loved everything about it, so I just can never turn down the chance to be part of this show. Apart from anything else, it’s such absurdly good fun.”
Joe first starred in this West End classic back in 2013, and then revisited the role in 2014 as part of the cast that closed the London show.
“That second time, the producers gave me no notice at all. The actor playing King Arthur had to leave the show, and as the understudy didn’t know the part, they called me up.
“It was a while since I’d last worn the shoes, so I was hesitant. But they pointed out thatI could hardly be as bad as an understudy who didn’t know what he was doing – which, I realised, was actually a fair point! So off I went into my second run.”
Now, with the show receiving a whole new life on tour, Joe has once again found it impossible to resist and he is looking forward to being back on the road.
" I’m used to touring in the stand-up comedian style, where you stop off in each town for just long enough to do your show and grab a KFC, before you’re gone again.
“So the prospect of being in each venue for a week, as we will be with this tour, makes it feel like I’m going on holiday. Like taking lots of mini-breaks! What a perfect way to spend some time.”
What is that Python song again – Always Look on the Bright Side of Life? Well, if anyone does that, it’s Joe. To such contagious effect, in fact, that I find myself humming the tune for the rest of the day.
Spamalot comes to The New Victoria, Woking, March 9-14; Wimbledon, June 8-13