Monty Python's Spamalot Review

While planning our trip to London, I told my husband I really thought we should catch a show in London's famed West End. Not wanting to see a naked Dan Radcliffe (aka Harry Potter) in "Equus", and having already seen the longest running show, Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" over twenty years ago, we just weren't sure what else we could go see. That is, until a double decker bus drove us past an enormous hand clutching a giant cartoon golden goblet at the Palace theater. We knew instantly that we must see Monty Python's "Spamalot".

We went to the theater that evening just before the show and purchased two tickets, last minute, for 30GBP each, just a hair over $60 USD per ticket. Our seats were great, up in the second balcony. We waited excitedly for the show to begin, not knowing exactly what was in store. We had each seen "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" before. Jay had only watched it once many, many years ago. I have seen it three or four times, so I was instantly familiar with the scenes when the curtains came up.

About Monty Python's "Spamalot"
Billed as "A new musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'", "Spamalot" contains the highlights of that movie, set to music, on the theater stage. This musical first opened in the states in Chicago and on Broadway, with the magnificent Sara Ramirez (you might know her as Callie on "Grey's Anatomy") as the Lady of the Lake, and David Hyde Pierce (Niles from "Frasier") as the brave Sir Robin.

The musical quickly sets up the plotline, with King Arthur and his servant clip-clopping their way through the land looking for brave knights to join his round table. On stage we meet the "Not dead yet" guy, and the Lady of the Lake, and some hilarious musical numbers crop up that you would never expect from having seen the movie. ("Finland! Finland! Finland!" the fish-slapping - yes fish slapping - song comes to mind.)

The Broadway musical won a slew of Tony awards, including one for Sara Ramirez specifically. I'm pleased to say that the London production was stellar as well.

Our Impressions in London
I felt that London was the place to go see "Spamalot", given that it's a Monty Python show, and based in Camelot in England. We were not disappointed. Jay and I were doubled over, nearly in tears, from laughter during the first act. It was almost painfully hilarious. And the cast's singing was superb.

The entrance into the second act was clever and surprising, and they did a great job of retaining the Monty Python-esque feeling on stage. The second act was a little less hilarious than the first act. It is very tough to maintain that much laughter at a constant pace for more than an hour and a half.

I loved how self-aware the musical was, frequently breaking the fourth wall to make inside references. "The Song that Goes Like This" was brilliant in the first act, as well as "The Diva's Lament" in the second act.

When the show ended, we left the Palace Theater with enormous grins on our faces for the rest of the night, humming "He's Not Yet Dead" all the way to dinner.

Cat's Bottom Line
If you have the chance to catch Monty Python's "Spamalot" in London - run! Do not walk! To the ticket counter. Especially if you're a Python fan. This was a fun and fantastic musical and we'll almost certainly be looking to catch a rendition of it here in the United States in the near future. Everyone should laugh that much, on a regular basis.