SPOTLIGHT THEATRE // SPAMALOT

By Lucy Martin 

Monty Python fans… Book. Your. Tickets! 

With the sound of the coconuts still ringing in our ears and our cheeks still sore from laughing so much, what an honour it is to share with you what a brilliant time we had at Spotlight Theatre’s opening night of Monty Python’s Spamalot! 

Even if you are not familiar with the immense brilliance of Monty Python, after seeing this show, you will certainly want to be! 

The (lovingly) ripped off story, from the classic film comedy, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot follows the story of King Arthur in his quest to find the holy grail with the help of his assembled Knights of the Round Table ‘helping’ him along the way. The journey also involves the beloved and hilarious Lady of the Lake alongside some VERY interesting characters and adventures. With the 2005 Broadway production winning three Tony Awards including Best Musical, the show was sure to be a hit. 

And a HIT, it was. 

The initial impression was bright and fun from the moment the first number started and I have to take a moment to applaud Laura English and the costuming team on their exquisite costuming choices, designs and execution. 

It is no surprise to see such well thought out and well made costumes from this team which were all so perfectly suited to each scene and really elevated each number. 

The showgirls looked absolutely fire in their brightly coloured two piece sets while dancing in Camelot (we will touch on this standout number later). 

Another wonderful costuming moment (too many to name) was the scene where we met the French men and their townspeople which saw nods to multiple characters such as Belle from Beauty & The Best, Madeline and Marie Antionette to name a few. Very clever and so beautifully costumed.

The addition of the can can skirts underneath each of these costumes was an impeccably thought out add and really tied this whole moment together. 

Direction from Clay English was brilliant, as expected. 

English has a way of envisioning and executing such spectacular theatrical elements, bringing them to life with pizazz and seamless execution. Spamalot was a perfect example of exactly that. 

The show was beautifully put together, from set design, to choreography, to costumes. Each choice was well thought out and flawlessly delivered. Also starring as the endearing, loveable and ‘oh so brave’ Sir Robin, Clay proved his strength in creative ability. With his standout number ‘You Won’t Succeed on Broadway’ such a delightful and comedic performance, the number really layered the story and added to such a solid start to Act 2 which can be hard to do in a lot of Broadway stories. And who knew he could play the piano too? Audiences can trust that whatever English brings to the stage, will be a must see for all! Ooooh yeah. 

Set design and construction by Clay and the team was impressively effective considering at certain moments throughout the show, there was minimal onstage. 

An example of this were the then peasants in separate towers towards the beginning of the show, discussing how a swallow could carry a coconut in their tiny beak long distance, or if perhaps the swallow should instead need to be African or European (hilarious writing) In this moment, with how well the towers were detailed (as if made of real stone) and the actors being so engaging in their delivery of this scene, you didn’t notice the simplicity of the amount of set onstage. Genius. 

Another set moment we loved was the mountains and Lady of The Lake ‘Juliet styled’ balcony moment that appeared from behind the mountain during ‘Find Your Grail’and proceeded to lift into the air. 

Spotlight always do fantastically smooth scene transitions and this was no exception. 

Side note: whomever built that Trojan RABBIT, deserves a medal. 

Lighting and sound were flawless and suited each scene perfectly. A kudos to the mixing of the lead vocals, especially the Knights, as their voices blended so beautifully together and we got to hear a good amount from all.

This also would have been the hand of a wonderful Vocal Director which leads us onto… 

Music Direction from the lovely Shari Willner. Exquisite, as always. Having a live band really does give a different level of experience as a theatre goer, and Shari always delivers a well oiled machine here. 

The band were cohesive and tight, tucked away behind the castle set, an impressive feat considering how many instruments we heard from out the front. 

Choreography from our English pair was bright and entertaining. The scene in Camelot where the cast sung ‘Knights of The Round Table’ was a standout number in the choreography department, the tap truck a clever add and loved seeing the ability of these performers showcased here. And oh the ‘wow’ moment we had as an audience as the ever so sexy Laker Girl, Natalie Cassanti, entered from the centre of the castle holding fire batons! It was such a spectacular add to this scene and Natalie handled it with such confidence and presence. 

Speaking of presence, let’s go coconuts for this very talented cast. 

King Arthur, played by the charming Chris Catherwood, commanded the stage each time he ‘rode his horse’ onto the scene. His vocals were clear with beautiful strong tone and diction. His character was well layered and Chris beautifully told the story of King Arthur’s quest to find his Holy Grail. From moments of comedy in trying to understand the antics of a snobby French Sir to moments of vulnerability in sharing his ‘loneliness’, Catherwood shows his abilities as a seasoned performer. 

Lady of The Lake… what can we say about the incredibly talented, Samantha Sherrin? BRAVO! From the moment Lady of The Lake is introduced dripping in water droplets (fantastic costuming here) to her gliding towards us in the boat (how did she do that?!) we are all in. 

Samantha’s vocal abilities as a performer never ceases to disappoint, with this show being an utter showcase of her range and versatility as a performer. Her comedic timing and commitment to character, stood her in a professional light from start to end. The vocal layering in ‘Find Your Grail’ was astounding and we just LOVED everything about ‘What Ever Happened To My Part’. With the wig cap being the icing on the cake. 

We can’t wait to see what Sherrin has in store for us next.

Tristan Vanyai played the WONDERFUL Patsy. His coconut galloping a hilarious and constant form of entertainment throughout. 

Tristan really carried an aura of experience within his acting and vocal ability that shone throughout the show. His comedic timing and nuances in ‘I’m All Alone’ had us in stitches and his contagious grin during ‘Always Look on The Bright Side of Life’ really gave us the warm and fuzzy feelings you hope for when watching live theatre. Tristan is such a sound and trustworthy performer. 

Sir Lancelot (amongst many other hilarious characters) was played by the talented Andy Macfarlane. His comedic timing impeccable and his ability to nail 5-6 different dialects and character voices throughout the show was remarkable. His performance as the French guard an absolute favourite and standout scene of the entire show, such a brilliantly clever script, delivered so well by this actor. But we cannot discuss Sir Lancelot without mentioning his freedom moment… ‘His Name is Lancelot’ was brilliantly choreographed, costumed and danced by the Ensemble members but we have to commend Macfarlane on his believeable delivery and execution in what was quite the outfit! (or lack there of) Such a solid performance all round. 

Sir Galahad played by the wonderful Perrin Gilbert was a character you were drawn to instantly. His song ‘The Song That Goes Like This’ performed with the Lady of The Lake was strong and sincere. His acting always committed to each moment and his vocals unwavering. 

Rowan Welch as Sir Bedevere stood out as a true professional when it came to character voices and accents. His diction and delivery were always clear and concise and always carried each scene he was in with a calm confidence. 

Prince Herbert was absolutely hilarious and Beau Frigault had such well controlled vocals throughout his moments. A special mention to his rendition of ‘Where Are You?’ which had us from the moment he opened his mouth in that bridal gown. 

Andrew King’s Not-Dead-Fred performance in ‘He Is Not Dead Yet’ was incredibly funny and really lifted the energy and anticipation of the room in lead up to the rest of the show. Andrew is such a strong performer who shows such range and versatility in his creative talents.

Jonny Haselam was our historian and was brilliantly cast in this role. From his accent to his gestures, his narration really carried the transitional moments in the story. Jonny’s awkward moment with the ‘evil’ bunny (we won’t give too much away) literally had us falling off our chair laughing at the sheer brilliance of his comedic timing, commitment and ability to go with the intense awkwardness of this moment that alot might shy away from. A true actor here and we can’t wait to see what you do next. 

The ensemble were all impressively strong in dance and vocal across the board. The Laker Girl’s looked stunning and brought such a wonderful energy and stamina to each and every scene. 

This show was brilliantly cast as we witnessed a fantastic level of on-stage chemistry throughout each character’s relationships. 

The breaking of the fourth wall toward the end came completely out of nowhere, which we loved as it really pushed into the creative chaos and silliness that is Monty Python. It went down a treat and a huge congratulations to a job well done by all in being able to still hold the integrity of the show as we took a short detour for this moment. 

From excessive discussions about double breasted swallow’s transporting coconuts, to french guards farting in their enemies’ generalised direction or even to an overly optimistic Knight in a sword fight with no limbs, we LOVED every second of Spotlight Theatre’s Spamalot. 

Monty Python’s Spamalot runs at Spotlight Theatre until the 26th of August, tickets can be found here.

Congratulations to all on a wonderfully pun-tastic, knight of theatre. 

Until next time!