To the different categories of humour — dry, sarcastic, slapstick — it would be necessary to add another: Monty Python. It’s hard to believe the landmark of surreal, absurdist, humour is 40 years old. But there it is: It was in 1969 when the sketch comedy show Monty Python’s Flying Circus rattled and rolled the comic landscape. Such is the enduring legacy of Monty Python that, like music, sketches form an esoteric language all their own among devotees – memorable, endlessly quotable, and distinctly Pythonesque. While Monty Python as a household name may have fallen through the generation gap, their influence is undeniable. And Eric Idle’s smashingly good revival of the seminal Python movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” in the form of the musical “Spamalot” not only keeps the venerable and ever-silly name alive, it delivers more laughs and entertainment in a couple of hours than entire seasons of popular sitcoms.
And so at last, the much-anticipated “Spamalot” — starring an immensely magnetic John O’Hurley and an equally enthusiastic cast — has reached L.A. audiences with an all-too-short two-month run at the Ahmanson Theatre. Replete with warnings carried by outdoor sign-bearers that the show contains shrubbery — a warning to be taken to heart if not at all seriously — this isn’t a literal translation of the film but a crafty re-imagining that takes full advantage of the theatrical format to deliver a unique experience of its own. King Arthur, the Knights Who Say “Ni,” the Black Knight – many classic scenes are “lovingly ripped off” to keep “Spamalot” close to its roots. But Idle, and director Mike Nichols, take full advantage of the musical format to deliver more zany musical numbers along with affectionate jabs at Broadway. There’s even a part for the Lady of the Lake, performed by original Broadway cast member Merle Dandridge, as a shining, fiercely sung, hilarious parody of divas.
Post-modern even before post-modern was a buzzword among the cognoscenti and the wannabes, “Spamalot” naturally takes advantage of meta-fictional devices and the intentional breaking of the fourth barrier that defined both the series and the movies. And Terry Gilliam’s supremely quirky animation is clearly a key influence on the larger-than-life set design and multi-media effects. But in the end, however much there is to appreciate in it, the craft takes its modest place behind the end result — pure, unadulterated, entertainment lined with witty subversion and inspired gags. “Spamalot” is spectacle of the best kind.
Spamalot. Book & lyrics by Eric Idle, based on the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle. Directed by Mike Nichols. Starring John O’Hurley, Merle Dandridge, James Beaman, Ben Davis, Jeff Dumas, Matthew Greer, Christopher Gurr, Rick Holmes and Christopher Sutton. On stage at the Ahmanson Theatre until Sept. 6.
Visit www.centertheatregroup.org for ticket information.
Frédérik invites you to discuss this production and more at his blog (www.inkandashes.net).
