The Knights who say Nay: ‘Spamalot’ sputters in revival
The cast of the North American tour of Spamalot featuring Major Attaway (center) as King Arthur. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
To borrow a philosophy from one of Spamalot’s best songs, let’s look on the bright side of life. The recent revival of the Monty Python-inspired show, which began life at the Kennedy Center and ran for a few months on Broadway, is certainly cheerful and, to be on the nose about it, bright. Of course there are laughs, but their velocity is in direct proportion to your affection for that particularly absurdist brand of Python comedy.
The touring company of Spamalot, now at the Golden Gate Theatre as part of the ATG San Francisco season, has energy and appeal, but it’s strangely smooth, almost to the point of irrelevance. It’s as if the show were directed and designed by AI – lots of things in the right places, but an overall strangeness about its very reason for being.
For all of its kick lines (and there are many) and show tune razzmatazz, this production never fully comes to life.
Amanda Robles is the Lady of the Lake (with the ensemble). Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Born nearly a quarter century ago in a quest to “lovingly rip off” 1975’s King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table spoof Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot emerged as a brassy musical full of big laughs. The show swiftly entered the Broadway pantheon as one of those actually funny musical comedies cited as being appealing to people who don’t generally like musicals – which is code for, hey, straight men can get into this one!
The original Tony Award-winning production – directed by Mike Nichols and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw – ran for nearly five years and has been popping up all around the world ever since.
Director/choreographer John Rhodes, the creative engine behind this revival, has delivered a blurry production that feels hobbled by a set that is half wall with arched doorways and half projections (for much of the show) that offer a glimpse of what Spamalot the video game would be like.
Find your grail! The cast of Spamalot does production numbers a lot. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
In this iteration, Spamalot feels slighter and less punchy than I remember it on Broadway or on tour (read my review of the 2009 tour). The video projections certainly deaden it, and though there are laughs in many of the right places, there’s never a comedic momentum built up that allows the silliness to expand exponentially.
I’m blaming the director/choreographer and designers for the Spam-malaise because the cast is appealing and capable of more big notes and big laughs than this production allows them.
The King Arthurs I’ve seen generally have the show stolen right out from under them, but Major Attaway holds his ground. He’s not afraid to snigger at all the hijinks, and he’s got a splendid voice. In a number of roles, including Not Dead Fred, the songbird Prince Herbert and the dreaded Rabbit of Caerbannog, Steven Telsey has many guffaw-inducing moments. I also liked Leo Roberts as Sir Galahad and as Herbert’s violent father. His duet with Amanda Robles as the Lady of the Lake on “The Song That Goes Like This” still wrings laughs even though Andrew Lloyd Webber seems like a parody of himself at this point and doesn’t need anyone else to weigh in.
And that brings me to another disconnect: just what is Spamalot parodying? Righteous quests? Narcissistic idiots? Las Vegas? Musicals? Broadway itself? The targets aren’t immediately clear, so the show’s teeth, unlike those of the ferocious bunny, are so dulled as to be mostly ineffective.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Monty Python’s Spamalot continues through March 22 as part of the ATG San Francisco season at the Golden Gate theatre, 1 Taylor St., San Francisco. Running time: 2 hours and 20 minutes (including one intermission). Tickets are $62.01-$193.05 (subject to change). Call 888-746-1799 or click here.
