Review: ‘Spamalot’ at Hollywood Pantages Theatre
- Raj Walia
- Mar 30
- 2 min read
“’Tis but a flesh wound!” —The Black Knight
So funny, so good, so many laughs. If you know Monty Python, you’ll know the British comedy troupe’s 1975 movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” and in “Spamalot,” you get to see it on stage as a musical that garnered several Tony nominations in 2005 and won Best Musical, with book and lyrics by Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Idle.
Directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, the touring production of “Spamalot” at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre hilariously sends up the legendary story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
Arthur (Major Attaway) is on a journey to unite his land of Britons, traveling the country to stitch together his Knights of the Round Table, who are duly assigned by God to find the Holy Grail to bring back to castle Camelot.
Attaway’s deep and loud vocal prowess as Arthur is perfect for the authority a king should have but also complements crazy and ridiculous lines and songs such as “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”
Arthur is anointed king by the Lady of the Lake (Amanda Robles), who also brings her powerful voice to full throttle. Robles’ stage presence and flowing costuming (designed by Jen Caprio) add to her magical vocal performance, while maintaining an edge that works with the satirical humor, such as in her “Diva’s Lament,” about not getting a singing part until the second act.
Caprio’s costuming also brings to life other fantastical characters of medieval Britain, from King Arthur’s uniform to unusually knowledgeable peasants living off the land to abusive French soldiers.
Paul Tate dePoo III’s scenic design and projections are similarly lively and flowing. With castles from which the French troops hurl a seemingly endless stream of taunts at the beleaguered king and his knights to a giant rabbit serving as a failed Trojan Horse, the set moves with the knights as they march into various entrapments on their quest.
“Spamalot” thus brings the hilarious world of Monty Python and the quest for the Holy Grail to musical life. It is a perfect capstone to the troupe’s skits and movies that have made us laugh for decades.
“Spamalot” continues through April 12 at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, with shows Tuesday through Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. For tickets and information, call the box office at 323-468-1770 or visit BroadwayinHollywood.com. Run time is 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission.
Comments