SPAMALOT Questions

[Elphabuff2]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 3:06pm

1. Would I be correct in assuming the following formula is correct? Spoof + Camelot = Spamalot.

I have no idea what the title means and/or has to do with the show otherwise.

2. In "Find Your Grail," is WICKED being spoofed?

I ask this second one b/c of the newness of WICKED. Obviously, there are the spoofed classics in SPAMALOT, as follows: PHANTOM, LES MIS, WEST SIDE STORY, FIDDLER. These are all classics that have been around for a lengthly time. And, no doubt, WICKED will be around for a long time, too. However, even though it is a "blockbuster," I just didn't think its opening night was that long ago for it to be spoofed by any group other than Forbidden Broadway.

3. How many shows are parodied and which ones are they (besides the ones previously listed)?

Thanks in advance.

[downbeat]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 3:08pm

The title Spamalot comes from a line in the original movie (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) and also in the show - "We dine well here in Camelot, we eat ham and jam and Spamalot!" So it's actually a mix of Spam (the food) and Camelot.

I don't think Wicked specifically is targeted in "Find Your Grail," just that type of belting song in general.

Updated On: 8/7/05 at 03:08 PM

[marvin2]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 3:08pm

The answer to 1 is: Spam + Camelot = Spamalot.
There was a famous Monty Python skit involving spam, which coincidentally is the origins of the use of the term "spam" when referring to unwanted e-mails.

EDIT: Downbeat beat me to it.

Updated On: 8/7/05 at 03:08 PM

[gavrochegirl]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 3:08pm

1. Spam + Camelot= Spamalot. I think...
2. Funny, I'm listening to Find Your Grail right know...the lyrics sound as if they come from Wicked, but I'm not exactly sure if they are definitely spoofing it.

Updated On: 8/7/05 at 03:08 PM

[nolatheatre]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 7:10pm

1. Spamalot comes from the movie line "we eat ham and jam and spamalot"

2. by my count they spoof: fiddler,the producers and phantom but, wicked i do not know? i never thought about it.

[BluCat500]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 7:18pm

I'm no python buff, but I definetly remember a bunch of men singing spam spam spam over and over again...true?



Edit: found the skit, just another python/ Spam connection
http://www.detritus.org/spam/skit.html

Updated On: 8/7/05 at 07:18 PM

[nolatheatre]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 7:24pm

lol! Yea, every time i hear it i crack up.

[Elphabuff2]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 7:57pm

Well, I didn't really mean the lyrics of "Find Your Grail" parody WICKED. I just mean when the Lady of the Lake rises in the huge grail and then her ending of thrusting "her grail" like Elphaba does the broom.

So, the whole show is named after one line when they are in Camelot? That's the whole thing? Updated On: 8/7/05 at 07:57 PM

[downbeat]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 7:59pm

Well, I didn't really mean the lyrics of "Find Your Grail" parody WICKED. I just mean when the Lady of the Lake rises in the huge grail and then her ending of thrusting "her grail" like Elphaba does the broom.

Ooooohhhh...good point! Could be, but it seems a bit "obscure" - every other "spoof" in the show is very overt and obvious (bottle dance from Fiddler, candles and boat from Phantom, etc.) I don't know though...

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 8:24pm

OO... I never thought of that, Elphabuff! I'll bet that was intentional!

[Elizabeth_DeBris]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 8:32pm

Erm... I've never seen Wicked, so I can't really comment on any possible referenes to that, but I don't think "Find Your Grail" in its entirety is supposed to be a nod to it. As someone said- it's just that kind of song in general that they're making fun of.

Anyway, among the other shows parodied/referenced are Company, Man of la Mancha, The Frogs, and Gypsy (I'm preeeeetty sure "Diva's Lament" is a wink at "Rose's Turn," but I could be way off base). I'm sure there are more, but I can't think of any, at the moment.

[DreamFlyer22]

Posted: 8/7/05 at 9:47pm

I think "Find Your Grail" is mostly a parody of ALL those overblown "inspirational power chord" songs. But, yeah... the first time I saw the Lady in the huge grail, I thought "Ahhh. Wicked.." Even if it's unintentional, it's a great bit of parody.

[Elphabuff2]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 11:00pm

I never even realized about THE FROGS! Fantastic. What about MAN OF LA MANCHA?

[Jon]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 11:09pm

FIND YOUR GRAIL seems to be spoofing "WE ARE THE WORLD" and otehr such inspirational overblown anthems.

MAN OF LA MANCHA reference - when the knights are introduced, "Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Show" comes out dressed as Don Quixote, says "Sorry!" and leaves the stage.

I also recall a CATS reference - something about "An entire stage filled with cats? How ridiculous!" - but I saw the show in Chicago, so it may have been cut...

[DreamFlyer22]

Posted: 8/8/05 at 11:24pm

CATS reference? Closest they come is while Arthur and Patsy are trying to figure out where to find a shrubbery to appease the Knights of Ni. I believe the dialogue goes along the lines of:
Patsy- "We could make a shrubbery out of Cats!"
Arthur- "That's rediculous. Where are we going to find Cats?!"

Had this show opened earlier than 2001, the obvious answer would have been, "about three blocks up from here..." But I dunno if I'd call that an intentional reference or just coincidence.

[brdwybound2]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 9:41pm

I'm not positive about this one because I haven't seen Spamalot, but I just got the soundtrack yesterday and this lyric popped out:

You Won't Succeed on Broadway:
"People who can sing, and dance — often at the same time! They are a different people, a multitalented people, a people who need people, and who are in many ways the luckiest people in the world."


Funny Girl (People):
"People who need people are the luckiest people in the world."

Possibly a small parody, or a coincedence?

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 10:22pm

that one's entirely deliberate, especially since its a lampoon of jewish musicals

[Jon]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 10:30pm

The staging of "His Name Is Lancelot" is somewhat a parody of "I Go to Rio" from BOY FROM OZ.