Spamalot

Presented by Hyde Musical Society at Hyde Festival Theatre, Monty Python’s Spamalot proved to be an evening full of absurd humour and strong musicality from both principals and ensemble alike. Based on the iconic film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the show requires a company willing to fully commit to its silliness and larger-than-life comedy, and under the direction of Richard Parker, this production clearly embraced the wonderfully ridiculous nature of the piece.

Working within the confines of the relatively small stage, the production team made effective use of a mostly static set which served the show well throughout. The castle-style backdrop was particularly successful, cleverly adapting to represent a variety of locations including Herbert’s room, whilst the use of turrets helped to differentiate scenes and maintain visual interest. I especially liked the reveal of the banner during the visit to “Camelot”, which added a nice visual touch. Scene changes flowed smoothly and efficiently, aided by the simplicity of the staging and the fact there was very little scenery needing to be moved.

Costumes were fitting for the style and tone of the production and worked very well overall. The costumes for the Lady of the Lake were particularly striking and suitably fabulous for the show’s flamboyant theatricality. Lighting was effective throughout; nothing overly complicated, but well-judged and entirely appropriate for the production. The cast were consistently well lit and the technical aspects never distracted from the performance itself.

Sound was generally strong, although there were a few noticeable timing issues with microphones and musical cues. At times, some cast members appeared to be waiting for music to begin before continuing, which occasionally interrupted the pace. However, these moments were relatively minor in the context of an otherwise well-supported production.

Musically, Ceri Graves led the company well, with principals and ensemble producing a confident sound throughout the evening. Harmonies were particularly pleasing and the ten-piece band sounded excellent, giving the production a rich musical backing which supported the performers effectively. There were only a handful of minor timing inconsistencies, but overall the musical side of the show was very successful.

Choreography by Jenny Arundale suited the production nicely and felt appropriate for the style of show. The tap dance sequence was enjoyable, although it perhaps could have appeared a little cleaner and more polished. Some of the choreography felt slightly ambitious for the company as a whole, particularly where featured dancers performed strongly whilst others looked less confident. That said, the routines contained plenty of character and energy, helping to maintain the fun atmosphere of the production. The Black Knight sequence in particular was clever and entertaining, although it too could perhaps have benefited from a little more polish at times. Ensemble harmonies were excellent and, whilst the choreography occasionally needed a little more attack and energy, the overall ensemble contribution was very good.

Director Richard Parker clearly understood the comedy of the piece and much of the humour landed successfully. Characterisation from the principals was generally strong and there was some particularly effective use of levels and staging around the castle set. Personally, I would perhaps have liked to see even more emphasis placed on the comedy surrounding the CAMELOT letters worn on the cheerleaders costumes, but this is just a personal preference and the audience responded warmly throughout and the production retained its energy from beginning to end.

Leading the company as King Arthur, John Harrison delivered a highly enjoyable central performance. He embraced the camp absurdity of the role well, with a dry sense of humour that suited the material perfectly. Vocally he was consistently strong and led the show confidently throughout.

As Patsy, Jake Ridgway made an excellent comic pairing alongside Arthur. His physical comedy was particularly effective and his timing throughout the performance worked very well. Vocally strong and engaging throughout, he provided plenty of laughs and maintained excellent energy.

Leonie Picariello was a fabulous Lady of the Lake, producing some stunning vocals across the evening. She handled the diva nature of the role extremely well whilst also managing to avoid taking the silliness of the show too seriously, which suited the tone perfectly. Her stage presence was commanding and she brought real confidence whenever she appeared on stage. I need to know where the dresses were from… absolutely stunning!

As Sir Robin, Tom Williams brought excellent energy to the role and was consistently entertaining throughout. His comic work was very strong and he embraced the cowardly nature of the character effectively. Vocally he also impressed and contributed well musically across the show.

One of the standout performances of the evening came from Tom Kershaw-Green as Sir Lancelot. His performance was hilarious from start to finish, with particularly strong comic delivery and excellent vocals. The “French Guard” sequence was a particular highlight and demonstrated both confidence and excellent comic instinct.

The remaining knights also worked very well together as a comic unit. Michael Baines as Sir Galahad and Keith Thompson as Sir Bedevere both contributed strongly to the overall dynamic, with the group scenes proving consistently entertaining. The camaraderie between the knights felt natural and helped the comedy land successfully. Their harmonies together were outstanding!

Overall, this was an enjoyable and entertaining production of Spamalot. The company clearly threw themselves wholeheartedly into the madness of the material, creating an evening filled with humour, strong vocals and plenty of enthusiasm. Whilst there were a few moments that could have been tightened technically and choreographically, the production succeeded in capturing the spirit and silliness of the show, and the audience’s enjoyment throughout the evening was clear to see.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.