Review: Spamalot

[bjarvis]

My employer has a recreation club of sorts which three months ago offered discounted tickets to see the road show of "Spamalot". Since friends had highly recommended the Broadway production, I'm a big Monty Python fan and the tickets were (slightly) cheaper than at the regular box office, I grabbed two for last night's show.

I had no idea last night's performance at the National Theater was the closing night in that venue, the end of a month-long run. I believe the house was full --I couldn't see any empty seats, although our tickets were in the balcony so we limited viewing of the mezzanine and orchestra levels.

In all, it was a fun evening and well worth the effort to attend. Hey, it's Monty Python... how can you go wrong? Wit, silliness and an irreverent rip on the ridiculously improbable tale of King Arthur and the knights of the round table, with just enough inside jokes for regular theater queens to have a laugh and a some minor borrowings from other Monty Python productions. All it needed was a sideways reference to a Norwegian blue parrot pining for the fjords and all would have been complete.

It struck me on the way out that many --maybe a third-- of the audience weren't born yet when the movie was released years ago; I have no idea how familiar the younger generation is with the movie these days. I may go looking for a DVD set of the TV shows & movies for a weekend of viewing and nostalgia.

Comments

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

I'm curious ... are the names Bradley Dean and Kevin Burroughs in the program as cast members? If it's the tour I think it is, Bradley is one of the leads and Kevin is dance captain. They both were in the tour of "Evita" I completed in February. Glad you had a good time! HUGS!

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

Indeed! Bradley Dean has credits for Sir Dennis Galahad, the Black Knight and Prince Herbert's Father. Kevin Burroughs has credits for being a Minstrel and Swings.

[abqdan.livejournal.com]

Being born at the appropriate time in England, I grew up on Monty Python, which I watched as much because my parents condemned it as 'rubbish' as because I found it hysterically funny. I now watch re-runs on BBC America - it runs constantly on that channel. And I still find much of it funny, though some I now realize is downright embarrassing and non-PC.

Have fun with the DVD! I keep meaning to rent Life of Brian, but somehow never get to it. "The romans gave us three good things..."

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

I discovered them when the CBC used to show Monty Python late on Friday nights (11 PM onwards or so). I'm still amazed that even the German language episodes are still incredibly funny even though my German has long since been forgotten.

[annoyinghandle.livejournal.com]

There's a German-language version?! Must Google. Download illegally obtain through proper channels.

I saw them first on WTTW (Chicago PBS) while in college. Love at first sight. The Grail DVD is chock full of extras -- have fun exploring them all!

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they did several episodes of the tv show entirely in German for Deutsche Telekom. It wasn't dubbed into German: they did their own lines purely in German. I love educated comedians... it's little things like commentary on philosophers scattered here & there, and a Roman centurian acting as a Latin instructor in "Life of Brian" that kept me coming back.

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

Happily I have a translator around when the British comes too fast and furious for me. :-)

I suspect 'Spamalot' was geared to be easily understood by us across the pond, though.

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

Happily I have a translator around when the British comes too fast and furious for me. :-)

But it's all just plain English! What's the problem? :-)

[kent4str.livejournal.com]

1) There was a sideways reference to the dead parrot sketch (a very brief "lovely plumage", "the plumage don't enter into it" line while talking about the African swallow). No pining for the fjords, but it was there nonetheless.

2) You already have some Python on DVD, including at least one of the German episodes - how soon they forget what they receive as birthday gifts. Just see what I get you next year!

[ciddyguy.livejournal.com]

I have heard of Spamalot but not seen it although I used to catch bits and pieces of Monty Python on PBS over the years. My Mom used to watch them all the time (and she's not British, born and raised a southern gal).

I have Monty Python's Meaning of Life on VHS, taped off of cable back in the '90's but have seen Jabberwacky, History of the World Pt 2 as well.

They literally pack so much into one movie that it takes many viewings to get everyting.

And I have taped the entire UK series, Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days that ran on PBS. A fascinating series he did back in 1989 and did another series later on that I never totally got on tape. Hard to believe it's the same Michael Palin of Python fame. :-)