Theater Review (NYC): ‘Spamalot’ Nothing Succeeds Like Excess

Oscar Wilde stated, “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” Indeed, whether reviewing the 1975 movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, or the 2005 Broadway musical Spamalot, directed by Mike Nichols, the excess of silliness proved a delightful success. Likewise, the revival at the St. James Theatre, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, expands the Spamalot ridiculousness, twitting itself and our time.

Spamalot, the revival, is a loving rip-off of the titular motion picture and 2005 show

The 2005 musical, “lovingly ripped off from the motion picture,” receives updates in bits and pieces in this current iteration. However, the twisted plot of King Arthur, finding knights for his round table and seeking the Holy Grail, remains the same. Importantly, the rip-roaring insanity, inane jokes, and frenetic pacing, delivered by an exceptional cast, sends this production over the top.

The book and lyrics by Eric Idle, and music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, continue with songs, whose unforgettable lyrics float in fans’ memories. Well known tunes include, “I’m Not Dead Yet,” “The Song That Goes Like This,” and “Find Your Grail.” Additionally, Idle includes a favorite he usurps from the Python movie, The Life of Brian (1979). After the French Taunter (the heavily accented, riotous Taran Killam), scatters the knights who abandon the quest, Patsy (Christopher Fitzgerald), encourages the king. Indeed, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” knocks it out of the park.

Cleverly, Idle incorporates the song at the beginning of Act II. With its wacky uplift, Arthur, Patsy, and others ready the audience for the coming laughs in the second act.

King Arthur is a space-cadet

As the naive, space-cadet King Arthur, James Monroe Iglehart, nimbly simulates riding a horse to Patsy’s clapping coconut halves. Just hysterical! To the duped king trotting sans horse, the coconuts sound like hoof-beats. However, when Arthur and Patsy stop at a castle, Sir Robin (Michael Urie), confronts Arthur about them. Why slap coconut halves? Where did they come from since they grow in the tropics? When Arthur suggests a swallow might have carried them, Robin shreds Arthur’s logic like a scientist. With some of the funniest dialogue in the musical, the humorous parlay between Robin and Lancelot (Taran Killam) stymies King Arthur.

As they discuss wind velocity and sparrow weight vs. coconut weight, the daft king loses track of the argument. Perhaps, he can’t take too much truth. Surely, as the privileged leader of the patriarchy, he immerses himself in fantasy. Furthermore, his loyal squire encourages this by obeying his every wish. So the king leaves Robin and Lancelot arguing sparrows and coconuts.

Eventually, Sir Robin and Lancelot do join the king’s round table. This only occurs after they watch self-flagellating monks, and throw corpses, some “not dead yet,” onto a plague cart.

King Arthur asserts his divine right to kingship

After visiting the “Mud Village,” through sheer will, Arthur asserts his divine right as king to the “ananarcho-syndicalist commune,” where Sir Dennis Galahad lives with mom. Calling upon the Lady of the Lake (the superb Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer), Arthur proves his kingly status. He repeats the story of Excalibur. Thanks to Jen Caprio’s costume design, the dazzling number (“Come With Me”) shimmers. The Lady mesmerizes Dennis. With the Laker Girls as cheerleaders, to help anoint Dennis, she takes Dennis’ hand and “makes him a man” (knight).

Finally, Arthur and Patsy pull together the various knights of the round table, including “the strangely flatulent Sir Bedevere.” As much of the ensemble does, Jimmy Smagula (Bedevere) doubles up on roles. Singing “All for One” (and one for all), Arthur restates their purpose. “We will bring chivalry to a rude and churlish time.” Indeed, we can yearn for chivalry and decency in our churlish time as well.

To celebrate their union, Arthur suggests they visit Camelot for a wild and woolly time. However, before these dunderheads can settle into the Las Vegas floor show in Camelot, God appears. Thanks to Paul Tate dePoo III’s scenic and projection design, a huge, white, bearded face hovers above them. In an uncredited voice-over, Steve Martin as God directs them to find the holy grail. Once again, Urie’s funny Sir Robin has the effrontery to ask a logical question with spot-on aplomb. “If God is all-knowing, surely he must know where it is.” His delivery and pacing in this exchange is perfectly LMAO.

The knights prance off singing “Find Your Grail”

Thus, with renewed purpose the knights prance as Kritzer’s Lady, the Laker girls and knights sing “Find Your Grail.” Ironically, their hopes raised for their mission crash and burn in the next scene. In the hands of the premiere ridiculer, the French Taunter, slays their confidence with wit and epithets. Killam’s Taunter breaks farts, sounds a string of raspberries to rival four tubas, and throws animals. How can the knights deal with such humiliation? Unfortunately, their secret weapon, the huge, stupid-looking, Trojan rabbit backfires. Though they do take it into the castle, they forget to get inside. Becoming the laughing stock of the French people, the crestfallen knights run away.

How they manage to reunite to face the Knights of Ni, The Black Knight, the killer rabbit, a lovely gay wedding, and putting on a Broadway show is the stuff of zany farce. In the midst of their clown circus Michael Urie’s “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway” (without Jews), lists via projection, Bette Midler, Barbra Streisand, Stephen Sondheim, and a surprise Jew that brings down the house.

Another fine number includes Kritzer’s “Diva’s Lament” in which she channels Liza Minnelli and other crooning belters. Singing about the general lack of female parts in show business, in a direct address to the audience she asks, “Whatever happened to my part?” Kritzer, who ad-libs about Ozempic, Michael Urie, and Patti LuPone, keeps it fresh. Also, over the top, are the Laker girls who accompany her and do quick changes of costume, dressing as nuns, showgirls, and Frenchies.

Quips abound

Quips abound centered around current cultural elements, i.e. jukebox musicals, Tik Tok, and more. And after a kiss during the gay wedding between the silly prince Herbert (Ethan Slater) and Lancelot (Taran Killam), Lance digs at current bigotries. Sarcastically, he says. “Just think, Herbert, in a thousand years’ time this will still be controversial.” Actually, the show rips every current group that conservatives oppose. Gays, Jews, UK tribes, French, the upper classes, and lower classes prove offending and offensive. As a result the humor lands safely for no one is sacrosanct.

Kudos to the creative team, those already mentioned, and the others for adhering to Rhodes’ hyperbolic vision. These include Cory Pattak’s lighting design, Kai Harada and Haley Parcher’s sound design, and Tom Watson’s hair and wig design. For the music, praise goes to Larry Hochman (orchestrator), Glenn Kelly (music arranger), and David Lai (music coordinator). For overall music direction and supervision, John Bell does a terrific job.

This is one to see for the smashing ensemble who makes it real, and Rhodes’ staging/choreography and comedic rhythms. The silly, excessive spectacle and choice updates in jokes and dialogue make wonderful sense and will give you a belly-full-of laughter, reminding you to “always look on the bright side of life.”

For rush tickets go to the St. James Theatre box office 246 W 44th Street. Their website is: https://spamalotthemusical.com/