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Looking on the bright side
Spamalot
The New Alexandra Theatre
*****
It is a show you never tire of, which is perhaps
down to its unrelenting tide of pure, unadulterated daftness. Numerous people have taken on the serious and
demanding role of King Arthur – sorry, I was mixing it up with Camelot –
have taken on the role of Arthur, King of the Britons, from Thespians
such as Matthew Kelly and Stephen Tompkinson through comedians such as
Phil Jupitas and Marcus Brigstocke and in Arthur’s current
re-incarnation it is Joe Pasquale. Pasquale is in his element talking to an
audience, not a large part of Arthur’s repertoire here, but he manages
to squeeze it in and has some glorious moments of pained expressions and
telling glances at the peasants’ collectives and congenital dolts
surrounding him as well as Lozzi Lee, dragged up from the audience as
the grail minder to be awarded a crown and have his photo taken. Arthur’s faithful manservant is Patsy played once
again by Todd Carty who has made the role his own; he is probably known
as much for Spamalot as EastEnders these days. Emerging from the Lake is Sarah Earnshaw, the
lady thereof, who we discover is called Guinevere which serves to tie up
loose ends so the show can end. She is a lady who can really belt out a
song with a fine, powerful voice.
Around that trio we have a cast of nine who play
everyone else from Dennis Galahad, played by Richard Meek, who also
serves as Prince Herbert’s father; Sir Lancelot, played by Jamie Tyler,
who play a whole host of baddies; and Josh Wilmott who plays Sir
Bedevere, and among other roles, one of a pair of the world’s most
stupid guards. There is Sir Robin, plague dead collector, who
joins the round table for the singing and dancing, and is played by Will
Hawksworth who also doubles as the other stupid guard; there is Sir
Herbert, played, fetchingly, by Richard Kent who also gives is Not Dead
Fred and then there is God, played by the wonders of celestial video, by
Eric Idle. Reverence is not a strong point of this offspring
of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Along the way on the quest for the Holy Grail we
meet the likes of Tim the Enchanter, a killer rabbit, a black knight who
battles on with all his limbs cut off and a giant Knight of Ni, which
leaves Pasquale, who is happiest in the Telly Savalas, Lee Marvin school
of singing, belting out Looking for a Hero. There are dancing girls, a gay number with
Launcelot and Herbert, and some wonderful songs from Idle and John Du
Prez backed by an excellent seven piece band under Tony Castro at the
back of the stage. Songs such as The Song That Goes Like This
The Diva’s Lament and I’m Alone would grace any musical .
. . as long as you don’t listen too closely to the words sending up just
about every other musical while Always Look on The Bright Side of
Life is known by just about everyone alive . . . or dead considering
its popularity at funerals. Directed by Christopher Luscombe and set by Hugh
Durrant the evening just flies by in a whirl of glorious silliness. If
laughter is the best medicine then Spamalot should be able to cure
anything. To 07-14-15 Roger Clarke
02-01-15
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