4 STARS, November 14-18. "A thoroughly enjoyable, zany journey, even for those who have no idea who Monty Python are," says Alison Hunt
Selladoor Productions
It stands to reason that if you’re a fan of the 1975 movie ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail,’ you are likely to enjoy ‘Spamalot’; the theatre advertising itself admits the musical has been ‘lovingly ripped off’ from the much-loved film.
Written by original Python Eric Idle, Spamalot tells the story of King Arthur and his Knights of the (very) round table and their quest to find the Holy Grail.
The Selladoor production at the New Wimbledon Theatre lives up to expectations, feeling fresh and quirky with an incredibly strong cast.
All the old favourites are there – the coconut horses, the Knights who say ‘Ni’, the Black Knight (“tis but a flesh wound”) as well as the French Knights who “blow their noses in our general direction” with familiar lines that even non-Python fans are likely to recognise.
The brilliantly straight-faced Bob Harms as Arthur, King of the Britons, had the audience in stitches, particularly when frequently dismounting his invisible horse and in his self-absorbed turn in “I’m All Alone” with the equally hilarious Rhys Owen as downtrodden Patsy.
Fabulously attired Sarah Harlington’s turn as the Lady of the Lake showcases her powerful voice beautifully, with the hilarious rendition of “Whatever Happened To My Part?” and comic duet “The Song That Goes Like This” with Norton James’ Sir Galahad being highlights.
Damsel in distress, Prince Herbert, hilariously played by Joel Benedict, yearns to be rescued when cruelly locked away by his father, so he can be free to sing. Thankfully, gallant Johnathan Tweedie as Sir Lancelot saves the day, resulting in a comical song and dance number with suitably disturbing costumes.
Stephen Arden’s Brave Sir Robin and Marc Akinfolarin as Sir Bedevere provide plenty of laughs, while ‘Not Yet Dead Fred’ adds a satisfying level of Pythonesque humour.
Despite listing just 13 actors in the cast to cover all of the roles, every character is played with incredible energy, pace and comic timing. What’s more, although being written in 2005, quips about Donald Trump and Taylor Swift make this version feel fresh and relevant.
Local references always go down well and the audience loved the jibes about Woking – as well as the unsuspecting member of the audience being invited on stage (who seemed to turn King Arthur’s head enough to make him forget his lines). And the final rendition of ‘Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life’ had the audience gleefully singing along, with assistance from a helpfully provided song sheet.
Indeed, Spamalot is definitely a thoroughly enjoyable, zany journey, even for those who have no idea who Monty Python are, with enough hilarious songs, crazy banter and slapstick routines to slap a fish at. Go and see it!
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