King Arthur: “Have you heard of this Broadway?”
Sir Robin: “Yes Sire, and we don’t stand a chance there.”
Actually, Spamalot, the musical version of the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail was a bona-fide smash, first lighting up the 2004-05 Broadway season, and now expertly mounted at the Kennedy Center through May 21st, as a part of their ‘Broadway Center Stage’ programming. Honestly, this production of Spamalot is dizzying, daffy, delicious and delightful– this is truly not one to be missed.
Retelling the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table (with gratuitously scantily clad showgirls, cows, killer rabbits, and a villainous French mime) Monty Python’s Spamalot, features music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, book and lyrics by Idle, scenic and projection design by Paul Tate dePoo III, costume design by Jen Caprio, lighting design by Cory Pattak, sound design by Haley Parcher, and wig design by Tom Watson. The glitzy, silly production is directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, with musical direction by John Bell.
Not a tour, this is another installment of the resident Broadway Center Stage series produced directly for The Kennedy Center by Artistic Director and Executive Producer and Vice President of Theater Jeffrey Finn. According to its press releases, the current Kennedy Center production was rehearsed and mounted in a breakneck two and a half weeks. Yet watching the fast-tracked assembling of a complex, two-act musical — with 18 actors, intricate tap numbers, priceless Python jokes and countless costume changes — is a lesson in breakneck professionalism.
The cast are all Broadway vets: two-time Tony Award® nominee Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice, School of Rock) as Sir Lancelot, Tony Award® winner James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin, Hamilton) as King Arthur, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer as Lady of the Lake, two-time Tony Award® nominee Rob McClure as The Historian/Prince Herbert, Michael Urie as Sir Robin, Matthew Saldivar as Patsy, Nik Walker as Sir Galahad, and Jimmy Smagula as Sir Bedevere.
The actors certainly deliver: Leslie Kritzer is a treat as the Lady of The Lake, milking her diva moments expertly, and assuming appropriate mystical glamour as needed. It’s a powerhouse role, and Kritzer seems to be highly enjoying herself– indeed, the infectious fun seems to pervade the whole cast. Michal Urie revels in his mash-up number “You Won’t Succeed On Broadway” which manages to import allusions to a bevy of Broadway hits to its charm. Matthew Saldivar, as the unappreciated sidekick Patsy, scores laughs and anchors the show’s anthem, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”.
Inglehart’s King Arthur manages to hold his own charm among the more manic performers, while others throw themselves lustily into multiple roles. Nik Walker morphs winningly between the limbless Black Knight, a villainous baron and the hair-tossing Sir Galahad, while Alex Brightman seems to have as much fun with brief goofy creations like the Knight Who Says Ni as with his surprising Sir Lancelot. Rob McClure is so off-the-wall irrepressible as Not Dead Fred and Prince Herbert (among other roles) that he lifts the show into another stratosphere– where it generally remains.
Is it art, no? Is it entertainment? Yes. Is it Monty Python? Well, Monty Python lite. Find your way to the grail, while you can.
Running Time: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes with one intermission
Spamalot plays through May 21st 2023 as a part of the Broadway Center Stage series in the Eisenhower Theatre at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC. For tickets call the box office at (202) 467-4600 or purchase them online.
