Following rave reviews and huge success at the Harold Pinter Theatre, Monty Python’s Spamalot is continuing its West End run by moving to The Playhouse Theatre from Wednesday 12 November.
Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot is a kind-of new musical with a book by Eric Idle and an entirely new score for the new production, (well, almost) created by Eric Idle and John Du Prez.
The announcement of this new season at The Playhouse follows Eric Idle’s acclaimed performance of ‘Always Look On The Bright Side of Life’ at the 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony – the world sang along, and Spamalot audiences get the opportunity to do so too!
Charles Spencer, writing in The Daily Telegraph, sums up the new production: “Former Python Eric Idle has come up with a simpler, shorter and zingier version, which in Christopher Luscombe’s fresh-as-paint production, recalls Monty Python’s roots in undergraduate review. The lady sitting next to me spent most of the show physically helpless with laugher. BOOK YOURSELF A TICKET TO SPAMALOT - IN THESE DARK DAYS IT WILL HELP YOU LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE”
Spamalot tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and features a bevy (or possibly a brace) of beautiful show girls, witch burnings (cancelled due to health and safety) not to mention cows, killer rabbits and French people. The show features fantastic tunes more magical than a Camelot convention, including He Is Not Dead Yet, Knights of the Round Table, Find Your Grail and of course the Nation’s Favourite Comedy Song (Reader’s Digest Poll 2010 - before it went bust), Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life.
This new production started its life in 2010 and its current run at The Harold Pinter Theatre continues until 9 September. In this time there have been 13 onstage moustache incidents, three suspected cases of swine flu (French pigs!), one outbreak of nits and 57 pairs of coconuts used. Spamalot’s new cast will be announced soon.
What the press have said about the new 2012 production:
“I honestly haven’t laughed so hard and so many times in years” 5 stars - Daily Star Sunday
“Gloriously British, Eric Idle’s musical returns for a triumphant run” 4 stars & Critics Choice – Evening Standard
4 stars & Critics Choice – Time Out London
“Book yourself a ticket to Spamalot – it will help you look on the Bright Side of Life” –
Daily Telegraph
“Just give way to your inner child and laugh a lot!” – The Times
“A lovely pudding of British silliness topped off with Eric Idle's hilarious songs!” - Magic 105.4
“Lovingly reformed from the classic film, the new Spamalot had the audience in stitches” –
Mail on Sunday
“Spamalot is really great. If you haven’t seen it, go, GO” - Chris Tarrant, BBC Radio 2