Spamalot

Liverpool Empire Theatre From / To: January 16 – January 21 2012

Director: Christopher Luscombe Producer: Simon Gooding Cast Includes: Marcus Brigstocke, Jodie Prenger, Todd Carty, Robin Armstrong

Seen by over 1 million people, Monty Python's Spamalot, the musical which "lovingly rips off" Monty Python and the Holy Grail, has again reached Liverpool on another nationwide tour. Stylish, silly and unashamedly slapstick, Spamalot has the audience in stitches as it delivers its irreverent parody of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

The casting is impeccable; from the moment King Arthur (Marcus Brigstocke) and Patsy (Todd Carty) trot on stage on their coconut horses, the audience is treated to a strong, humorous performance from the show's leading partners.

Jodie Prenger shines in her role as the diva-esque The Lady of the Lake and takes full advantage of the opportunity to show off her impressive vocal range and commanding stage presence. In truth, the entire ensemble deliver strong performances and the fact that some of the biggest laughs of the night came from clearly adlibbed scenes is a credit to the cast; from King Arthur's slightly critical quip about a poor outfit choice from the young lady plucked from the audience, to the entire French Castle scene in which a wardrobe malfunction gets not only the audience tittering, but some of the cast too.

The opening number, The Fisch Schlapping Song, as you can imagine, sets the tone for the whole evening and as the night goes on the songs go from strength to strength with His Name Is Lancelot being probably the most delightfully camp and amusing of the lot.

The show stays true to Monty Python's humour and legacy with some original songs featuring; most notably two renditions of Always look on the bright side of life. There's also flying cows, rabbits and of course, The French, but you really don't need to be a Monty Python fanatic in order to enjoy the production; in fact, you'll most likely still find yourself roaring with laughter even if you've never even caught so much of a glimpse of The Holy Grail. This said, though, there is a heavy dose of modern humour injected into the evening with references to celebrities such as Cheryl Cole, Susan Boyle and even a fittingly satirical gag directed at Anthony Worrall Thompson and his recent dealings with the law.

At the end of the show while the cast receive a well deserved standing ovation, it is evident Spamalot does indeed deliver on its promise of giving you a 'Knight To Remember.'

Zoë Yvonne Delaney

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