Posted: Wednesday 23rd January 2008

Reviewed by Gregory Hughes

If a hilariously silly retelling of medieval legend told through a score of joyously funny song and dance routines sounds like your thing, then joining King Arthur on his quest for the Holy Grail could be the best night out in the West End you’ve had in years.

If you’ve not brushed up on your Middle Ages history then don’t worry – the performance is introduced by a historian who ably sets the scene: England 932 AD (or should that be Finland?). Witness King Arthur gather the knights of his very, very, very round table. Marvel as he is charged by God to retrieve the Holy Grail. Dare to watch as he faces a host of terrible adversaries from the Black Knight to the Knights Who Say “Ni”, with some especially vicious taunting from the French in between.

With script and lyrics by Eric Idle, who wrote most of Python’s songs, the production has the look, sound and feel of a genuine Monty Python product, and with some of the best-loved moments from the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail (from which the musical is “lovingly ripped-off”), Spamalot should suit both the Python fan and the neutral. With trademark quick wit, glorious irreverence and lashings of absurdity; if Spamalot doesn’t keep you laughing then you should probably see your doctor.

Currently starring in the lead role of King Arthur is Peter Davison, one of the most familiar faces of British television for the past three decades; but himself no stranger to musical theatre, having starred in Chicago in the 1990s. He fits the bill superbly as King Arthur; his tall stature and good looks, together with his deftness for playing bewilderment, enable him to switch between confidence in his divine quest to utter frustration a second later when his plan is misunderstood by peasants or falls apart around his ears. This is a skill he employs to great effect throughout. He is evidently relishing the part, and his stage presence, pleasant singing voice and astute comic timing enable him to carry the show with conviction. Relatively new to the cast is Jake Nightingale as Sir Lancelot, who, with his masculine, John Cleese-like square jaw, is great fun to watch as the fiendishly brave, psychotic homosexual, whose true nature is revealed in the disco-inspired number His Name is Lancelot. Currently transferring from Broadway is Marin Mazzie as Guinevere, the Lady of the Lake. Sending up the traditional musical diva role with great comic skill, she gets many of the best songs that spoof the musical genre from The Song that Goes Like This and the show-stopping Find Your Grail to her glorious Act II reappearance lamenting Whatever Happened to My Part?.

Like all good Python, Spamalot pokes fun at the more ridiculous elements of the King Arthur myth. As Arthur justifies his kingship to the socialist peasant Dennis Galahad, after the Lady of the Lake handed him Excalibur, Galahad is unmoved; believing watery tarts distributing swords to be no system of government. The Knights are later confused when God, in his omniscience, doesn’t already know where the missing Holy Grail is, which would make all their lives easier (although there wouldn’t be much of a story left). No strangers to controversy, there are moments of risqué humour; particularly Sir Robin’s song You Won’t Succeed on Broadway which points out “if it’s not kosher then no show, sir; for you won’t succeed on Broadway if you don’t have any Jews”. Sir Lancelot’s happy ending shouldn’t cause any surprises to astute audience members, but as he remarks to his new-found lover; “just think: another thousand years and this will still be controversial.”

As you would expect from a West End musical, Spamalot is a very polished production. Its fast pace and superb choreography leave you with no time to catch your breath between scenes, and the extensive chorus of dancers are given no shortage of work. One of the most memorable sequences is when the Knights enjoy a well-earned break at Camelot. As Arthur advises: “And remember: what happens in Camelot stays in Camelot”. This is especially pleasing for Python fans as they don’t go to Camelot in the film.

There is an abundance of spectacle in Spamalot. With ever-changing scenery (you will marvel especially at the dark and very expensive forest at the beginning of Act II), clever animated projections, effective use of lighting and some wonderful special-effects; such as the flying cow (“Fetchez la vache!”); the visitation by God; the fight with the Black Knight, who really does lose his limbs; and the vicious rabbit that inhabits the Cave of Caerbannog and can bite brave knights heads clean off; Spamalot provides what you would expect from a West End musical – a few hours of dazzling entertainment. That it also delivers on plenty of laughs and memorable songs makes it hard to fault as a night out, and as a slice of entertainment you’re sure to remember for years to come. You can even end the show joining in with a rendition of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.