By Shari Barrett
When Monty Python’s Flying Circus first premiered on television in 1969, few could have imagined how influential the program would become thanks to the inventive minds of its six main collaborators: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Known for their surreal slapstick humor which satirized the over-politeness perceived to be the epitome of British culture, the series spawned multiple films, some stage performances, and the outrageously hysterical musical SPAMALOT which was lovingly ripped off from the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It first galloped onto Broadway in 2005, winning the Tony Award for Best Musical.
With book & lyrics by Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, SPAMALOT tells the tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table in 932AD as they embark on their quest for the Holy Grail. The crowd-pleasing musical comedy has returned to Los Angeles at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre through April 12 with an all-new national touring production, direct from its recently lauded Broadway revival. It’s a bigger, bolder, box office extravaganza guaranteed to entertain all audience members, even ones like me who have seen the musical many times before.
Entertainingly directed and choreographed by John Rhodes, this high-quality production with more outrageous costumes designed by Jen Caprio than I could count, multi-level, moveable scenic design and brilliant AI-generated projection design by Paul Tate dePoo III, magical and colorful lighting design by Cory Pattan, along with many over-sized, energetic ensemble tap numbers, all combine to lift Python’s silly humor to the highest level of staged musical comedy!
Leading the talented triple-threat cast who lift the production to bouts of uncontrollable laughter is Major Attaway as the rotundly regal King Arthur whose infectious spirit leads his knights heroically through verbal as well as physical battles with a wide assortment of tormentors. Attaway is supported by Blake Segal as Arthur’s loyal sidekick and cocoanut shell horseman Patsy. The energetic duo sets the pace for the rest of the cast who seem to constantly be running, jumping, and of course singing and dancing while commanding your attention to inspire belly laughs.
Attaway and Segal display real camaraderie every moment they appear together onstage, especially during their featured musical numbers – “King Arthur’s Song,” when leading the very harmonic Knights in “All for One” on the night they unite, and during the audience’s favorite sing-along “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” – which takes place during their search for shrubbery to appease the Knights Who Say Ni, a splendid show-stopping ensemble number complete with tap dancing Knights and Ladies under twirling umbrellas!
And who are the Knights of the Round Table? We first meet Sir Robin (Sean Bell) as a collector of plague victims along with Lancelot (multi-character-playing Chris Collins-Pisano) as they attempt to dispose of the sickly Not Dead Fred (cleverly comical, multi-role-playing Steven Telsey, who shines in “I Am Not Dead Yet.”) Robin and Lancelot agree to become Knights of the Round Table together, Lancelot for the fighting and Robin for the singing and dancing. Both actors bring such fun to their roles throughout the show, especially Bell during “Brave Sir Robin” and “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway.” Collins-Pisano playfully struts his stuff and comes to terms with his true self during the hysterical “His Name is Lancelot” followed by the charming and so-relevant lifestyle duet with Prince Herbert (Telsey). Ellis C. Dawson IIII portrays Sir Bedevere, and Leo Roberts is Sir “Dennis” Galahad, transformed by The Lady of the Lake (belter Amanda Robles) during their duet “The Song That Goes Like This.” But she is the true love of King Arthur, giver of his sword Excalibur, and as a Knight, Galahad knows when to step aside.
Entertaining big ensemble numbers include “Come With Me,” “Knights of the Round Table,” “Find Your Grail,” “Run Away” with the French Taunter (Collins-Pisano) and many others which raise the roof with tons of laughter. SPAMALOT’s score is performed to perfection by an enthusiastic, 12-member and mostly-local orchestra under the musical direction of conductor Jonathan W. Gorst.
The hard-working and forever costume-changing ensemble is to be commended for adding a real sense of performance joy and hilarity every time they took the stage, including, but not limited to, the Danish fish slappers, Laker Girls, Moulin Rouge Can-Can Dancers, Las Vegas style showgirls, the dead bodies rolled onstage in a cart who come to life to sing and dance, the taunting French Guards, stilt-walking Knight of Ni and his trio of followers, two Sleepy and Stupid Guards confused about their duties to Prince Herbert thanks to his overbearing father, to the stage-crossing head-bonking monks.
Although Monty Python’s humor takes jabs at every possible nationality and religion, the show’s positive message rings true in the end. Everyone has their own Holy Grail to pursue in life and needs the support of family and friends to achieve it. And when the going gets tough, stay positive and remember to “Always Look at the Bright Side of Life.”
SPAMALOT has everything that makes a great knight at the theatre! Performances continue at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd. (½ block east of Hollywood & Vine) through April 12. Run time is 2 hours and 30 minutes with an intermission. For tickets and more information, visit www.SpamalotTheMusical.com or call (323) 468-1770. The production contains theatrical smoke and haze, and is recommended for ages 8+ with children under 5 not admitted into the theatre. All persons entering the theatre, regardless of age, must have a ticket. Children and teens under the age of 14 are required to have an adult chaperone.
