NEW ‘SPAMALOT’ STILL HAS THE POWER TO AMUSE
With the exception of Python purists who've long scoffed at Eric Idle's musical adaptation of the “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” film, fans of the British comedy troupe have Spammed a lot since the stage show he wrote with composer John Du Prez premiered nearly 20 years ago.
The new production of “Monty Python's Spamalot” at the Theatre at the Welk directed by Noelle Marion is hardly the show's first rodeo in the San Diego area. Since its national tour arrived at the downtown Civic Theatre in 2009, it's been staged by companies all over the county.
This isn't even “Spamalot's” first go-round at the Welk. It was produced there as a rental 10 years ago.
Enough history, at least of the theater sort.
The truth is, “Spamalot's” farcical “history lesson” about King Arthur, his knights errant and their search for the Holy Grail has lost none of its zany appeal over the years. To wit: “God, the almighty and all knowing, has misplaced a cup?” asks an incredulous Sir Robin, portrayed to a tee by Geno Carr at the Welk.
Carr is just one member of the Welk's large cast who's fully imbued with the “Spamalot” spirit of silliness and
comic anarchy. Demonstrating that it takes one Arthur to play another, Lance Arthur Smith is a towering King Arthur, a stalwart ruler soon annoyed and exasperated practically out of his mind on his noble quest. This role demands a deadpan demeanor. No problem for Smith, who's following up his strong performance in the Welk's “The Bodyguard” earlier this year with this 180-degree turn.
Janaya Mahealiani Jones is all world as The Lady of the Lake with a voice both powerful and sumptuous, and comedic attitude on display as in her “Diva's Lament (What Ever Happened To My Part?)” when she sarcastically decries her absence from the Act Two action. Jones and
Smith shine together more than once, but especially on the swooning rebuke of inevitable Broadway ballads “The Song That Goes Like This.”
Besides Carr, the knights getting in on the fun are Jason Webb as Sir Galahad, Patrick Cummings as Sir Lancelot and Melissa Fernandes as Sir Bedevere (and other characters). Enrique Duenas is King Arthur's devoted if put-upon servant Patsy.
Everybody's in step with Katie Banville's vibrant choreography including an ensemble of dancers costumed by Janet Pitcher for sheer Vegas-meets-medieval.
The Welk's set pieces and props are just adequate, and there were a couple of blips with the sound in the theater, which muddled some of this show's witty and wordy lyrics. The musical numbers get first-rate staging, though: the whistling “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life”; Lancelot's “coming out” tune, “His Name Is Lancelot”; the parodic “You Won't Succeed On Broadway”; and the rallying “Find Your Grail.”
One wonders if a new generation of “Spamalot” goers will deem it as irreverent and proudly absurd as those before them. Or will they sit there, frowning and thinking “I don't get it”?
What's not to get? The voice of God, the Knights Who Say Ni, the Laker Girls and a killer bunny rabbit. That's timeless stuff.