THE HANGOVER REPORT – The supremely silly SPAMALOT returns to Broadway, lifted by inspired casting and the general public’s need for escapism

James Monroe Iglehart (center) and the company of “Spamalot” at the St. James Theatre (photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman).

Earlier this fall, the supremely silly musical Spamalot returned to Broadway at the St. James Theatre. The revival arrives in New York by way of the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., where it was a last minute addition to its Broadway Center Stage series (replacing a highly anticipated revival of Kander and Ebb’s Kiss of the Spider Woman). As these things go, the production proved to be a solid hit, proving the general public’s current need for escapism and levity (a niche handily filled by Mamma Mia! during the aftermath of 9/11) and prompting a transfer to the Great White Way.

If you’re not already familiar with the Tony-winning musical, it’s based on the cult classic film Monty Python and the Holy Grail — an absurdist retelling of King Arthur’s quest for the holy grail. What makes the musical pop — in addition to its distinctive sketch-like humor and gag-a-minute design — is its giddy embrace of the musical comedy form, especially during the inspired second act (admittedly, the first act is merely pedestrian). As directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, the revival honors Mike Nichols’ original conception while giving the production a looser and more kinetic quality, thanks in no small part to some cleverly wrought video projections.

What particularly elevates this revival beyond being more or less a copy of the original production is its wonderful cast, who sprinkle some rather hilarious contemporary references throughout (I’m still chuckling over the Lea Michele and George Santos mentions). Standouts of the bunch are Michael Urie (Robin, among others), Taran Killam (Lancelot, among others), Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer (the Lady of the Lake, emphatically), and Ethan Slater (Herbert, among others). Each strikes comic gold time and time again. The rest of the fine cast — including Tony-winner James Monroe Iglehart as a game King Arthur — ride on the wave of hilarity they create.

RECOMMENDED

SPAMALOT
Broadway, Musical
St. James Theatre
2 hours, 15 minutes (with one intermission)
Open run

Categories: Broadway, Theater

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