Palace Theatre

From the outset this wonderful rip off of The Holy Grail does not disappoint.  For those new to Python the enjoyment emanates from the total silliness and brilliant parodies and for those in the know it comes from pre-empting the flying cows and vicious rabbits, laughing before the scenes even unfold.  Either way you know you’re in for a night of insanity at the immediate discussion involving coconuts and swallows.  Both African and European.

From the words of Eric Idle and the music of John Du Prez comes a musical masterpiece born on an iconic British comedy.  It loosely tells the story of King Arthur’s search for the Holy Grail and follows his journey as he picks up Knights along the way, encounters God, the French and a number of other unique characters. Its success came as a surprise to many critics and even ex-Pythons but its three Tony Awards and obvious longevity, both in the UK and the US, go to show it must be doing something right.

It began its life in the US in March 2005, coming to the Palace Theatre in the UK a year later and to no less media hype and cult following. 

The creative team behind Spam-a-lot use the set and props to compliment the insane comedy and ridiculous circumstances and no situation is too absurd to be catered for.  They have battlements either side of the stage, which are intrinsic to French taunting, a carefully constructed cow catapult and video projection casting traditional Python animation across the stage.  The diverse mixture of techniques involved in the creative design emphasise the unconventional turn of events and the way the original film gets away with just about anything – no sense needed.

The main gripe from British audiences is that it is slightly americanised and not true to the film.  Although many believe this to be the case, the beauty, and more importantly, the comedy are certainly not sacrificed.  If you go expecting it to be the Holy Grail on stage you will be disappointed, it never intended to be a precise translation of the film.  If you are open to some familiar scenes and characters and the application of theatrical license then you’ll be pleasantly surprised.  The Lady of the Lake takes centre stage on more than one occasion; political peasant activist Dennis is transformed into Sir Galahad and the traditionally straight Lancelot is flamboyantly gay.

This is undoubtedly a good way to include those unfamiliar with the originality of Monty Python however the show still manages to make die hard fans feel like members of a secret yet bizarre club, as only they understand why a song about Finland is funny. 

Just like the film is a parody of a famous legend, Spam-a-lot is a delightful parody of the theatre, especially the exaggerated shows of Broadway.  Although the laughs come from the obvious comedy, the musical carries a level of self-mockery and it remains current through many cultural references.  Each of the musical numbers lovingly pokes fun at a different traditional genre, from pop music to the always-essential slow, breathy jazz number.  In places the script allows the actors to ad-lib, which is always a theatrical treat.  It lets them keep the musical socially significant and in previous productions there have been references to Justin Timberlake as well as the World Cup and after the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows the Knights who say Nii informed the audience that Harry died by page 8.  It is definitely a production that knows how to speak to its audience and have a lot of fun.  The addition of spontaneous references and gags, coupled with the already hilarious script, leaves a great possibility for random hysterical outbursts, from the actors as well as the audience, something the UK cast endeavoured to make Tim Curry do during his stint as King Arthur.

The casts love of the script and the show itself transfers easily to the audience.  The songs are beautifully delivered and it’s terrific when the traditional fourth wall barrier is broken down and everyone participates with great gusto.

It never feels half-hearted and ‘Ye Olde Rippey Offey Shoppe’ peddling its wares in the lobby rounds off the whole experience wonderfully.   You can buy anything from bloody rabbit toys, cans of Spam and t-shirts carrying the slogan ‘Feche La Vache’.

The Holy Grail it is not, but Spam-a-lot stands on its own two feet in the world of slightly eccentric musical comedy.

It’s great for anyone wanting an evening of easy laughter, whether you’re an old Monty Python fan or not, however due to some of the content it is not suitable for younger children.