This super fun show is chock full of bonkers songs that will live in your head long after the curtain falls. Amongst the extensive list are ‘The Song That Goes Like This’, ‘He’s Not Dead Yet’, ‘Knights of The Round Table’, ‘Find Your Grail’, ‘Brave Sir Robin’, ‘Diva’s Lament (Whatever Happened To My Part?’) , ‘You Won’t Succeed On Broadway ‘, ‘Finland – Fisch Schlapping song and dance’, and the best spirit-lifting song ever – ‘One Day More!’ Oh non! Merde totale … that’s the wrong show! Of course, I meant to say, ‘Always Look On The Bright Side of Life’ lovingly lifted from The Life of Brian. Whistling along allowed but only during the whistley bits. Otherwise it is death by the ferocious killer rabbit! You have been warned. Buy a programme for the lyrics and you get to sing along at the end.
If your soul is stirred by daring deeds, Knights who say “ni” and demand payment in shrubbery, *absurd historical Monty Python drivel (*John Cleese ) this is the show for you, mon brave. It was created by Eric Idle and John Du Prez so it must be a most excellent Knight out at the theatre, Eric says.
Lovers of England, forget running St George’s flags half way up tame lamp posts and painting ruddy traffic roundabouts. Here, in the warm comfy bosum of Melton Theatre we have none other than the Knights of The Round Table, Arthur, King of the Britons, Sir Lancelot, The Lady of The Lake, Sir Galahad, Sir Bedevere, Patsy (who the Arthurian heck is Patsy?), The Sword of Excalibur and … a stuffy historian who actually knows his stuff. Think Bill Bryson but more Oxbridge English. Feel your chest inflate and your eyes suddenly become terribly moist as the narrator (Pete Etherington) takes a deep breath and opens the show with the stirring words …
“England, 932 A.D. A kingdom divided. To the West, the Anglo-Saxons.
To the East, the French. Above, nothing but Celts and some people from Scotland.
In Gwynned, Powys, and Dyfed, plague.
In the kingdoms of Wessex, Sussex, Essex and Kent, plague.
In Mercia, and the two Anglias, plague, with a 50% chance of pestilence
and famine coming out of the Northeast at twelve miles per hour.
Legend tells us of an extraordinary leader who arose from the chaos to unite a troubled kingdom.
A man with a vision, who gathered knights together in a Holy Quest.
This man was Arthur, King of the Britons, for this was – England! “
Never have I seen some many anglo-patriotic handkerchiefs whipped out in unison in a theatre. Weepy eyes dabbed, it is now time for some Finnish fisch schlapping singing and dancing. “Finland Finland Finland, that’s the country for me…” Stop! Stop! That’s enough silly shilly shally comedy nonsense. Get on with the bloody review man.
According to the mystical legend thereof, Sir Wikipedia of the Castle Internet, claims that Spamalot (also known as Monty Python’s Spamalot: A Musical (Lovingly) Ripped Off from the Motion Picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail) is a musical with music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, and lyrics and a book by Idle. Based on the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the musical offers a highly irreverent parody of the Arthurian legend, with the title being a portmanteau of Spam and Camelot. I love Spam but that is moot point. I digress. To Camelot!!!
Production photos by Gina Mees.
The first thing I notice about this most excellent production is the high quality of the pin sharp sound by Neil ‘Wes’ Wesley. If anything is going enhance the pleasure of watching a live show it is the ability to hear every word said and sung, every note played and every halved coconut clacked. As we sit back in our plush blue seats we know from the start everything is going to be okay in the lughole department.
This is a big cast who all work their socks off to provide this audience with plenty of song and dance, comedy and surprising reveals. After six months of rehearsals this show is finally ready to entertain on a grand scale and it certainly finds its Grail in the shining talents of all involved both onstage, backstage, in the musician’s pit and in Camelot.
Spamalot is brilliantly directed by Jennifer Butlin, superbly musically directed by Lisa Mills and joint choreographed by Dawn Partridge and Katherine Vernon. The song and dance sections totally lift any sullen spirits in the audience and Jason Wrightam as Patsy gives us a comically perky rendition of ‘Always Look On The Bright Side of Life’. An audience favourite, Wrightam may not have a huge amount of lines with his hang dog character Patsy but he is a champion of raising laughs through his comic timing and expressive face. A strong case in point would be in the song ‘I’m All Alone’ sung by the beautiful voice of Paul Mills as a supremely daft King Arthur and shadowed by Patsy. Mills gives his King Arthur a likable blend of pretend authority and utter silliness. I have to say that his horse riding skills on stage are second to none.
As the bonkers Knights of The Round Table we have the terrific comedic talents of Andrew Hull (Sir Lancelot), Sam Carter (Sir Robin), Ryan Green (Sir Galahad), Josh Galagher (Sir Bedevere), and The Lady of The Lake is Katherine Vernon – a delightful diva who wonders whatever happened to her part. Together with Jak Beasely as a ‘mildly camp’ Prince Herbert, Elliott Paulson gives it some gruff welly as Herbert’s no ‘namby pamby’ nonsense Dad.
This is a fantastic show where there is always something happening on stage be it tap dancing, cheer leading ladies, busy ensembles filling the stage with colour and laughter-making moments, flying cows, a huge wooden rabbit, an awe inspiring visit from God and a smidge of audience participation. Don’t be like not-so- brave Sir Robin and run away. Book tickets now for the most fun Melton Mowbray has had since they had a Stilton cheese sniffing competition.
Spamalot runs at Melton Theatre until 18th October including a Saturday matinée. And it is a lovely modern theatre space that needs your support.
