Some thoughts on Spamalot this evening

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/8/08 at 11:51pm

Picked up a TDF seat this week to see the show tonight, because I wanted to see Hannah Waddingham as the Lady of the Lake.

Well...imagine my disappointment upon arriving at the theater and finding out that Emily Hsu was on for the Lady of the Lake. I didn't like her performance last go round, and it hasn't gotten any better. She still screams her way through the role, and isn't the least bit funny. Her Diva's Lament is so un-diva like, that it just falls completely flat. Her jokes weren't landing, and it was just a very disappointing performance all around.

As for Clay, well, he's not half bad. In fact, he's actually pretty good, I have to say. He acquits himself quite well, and he certainly doesn't embarrass himself up there. I enjoyed his performance a lot...certainly much more than Emily Hsu's train wreck.

The rest of the cast was fine, in particular Christopher Seiber.

Show is still kind of blah in my opinion...it has some funny moments, but it really plays more like a series of sketches than a musical.

On a side note...Clay certainly doesn't appear to be setting the box office on fire. The mezzanine was half empty tonight, and my TDF seat was in the second row of the mezzanine, 5 seats from the aisle.
Updated On: 2/9/08 at 11:51 PM

[hermionejuliet]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 12:00am

Thanks for the review. I have a feeling that full price tickets along with a spring rush might be Clay's contribution to the box office. Along with merchandise- they now have T-shirts, buttons, and programs to entice the Claymates.

[KC Loves Talent]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 7:28am

I've heard Hannah Waddingham has missed a few shows....has anyone else heard this?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 7:44am

She's been out since Sunday.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 11:09am

Is she on a scheduled vacation, or is she ill?

[JEK216]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 12:56pm

Someone at the stagedoor said they heard Hannah tell a group of fans that she was still adjusting to the new schedule, after coming over from London. She was saying her voice was very tired. Since then, she's been missing shows. So who knows.
Thanks for the Spamalot review. I sure wish I could see it for myself. But I'm stuck here in the frozen midwest.

[MassiveMeGo]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 2:09pm

Hannah is out again today. She must be really sick.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 2:30pm

She must have the flu.

That said, she was PHENOMINAL last Saturday matinee.

[philly03]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 2:48pm

Haha, actually when I saw it I saw Emily Hsu too, but I kind of liked her performance? But you're right she doesn't really act too much like a diva.

[Cartwheel]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 3:10pm

Poor Hannah. I hope it's nothing serious. It must suck to travel all the way across the ocean only to get sidelined like this.

[Kev]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 5:17pm

I saw Emily Hsu as TLOTL. Funny, I didn't think she screamed through the role; actually, she doesn't have that much or big of a voice *to scream. Her vocals were very thin, lacking richness and nuance. That said, I had no problems with her acting. She landed enough laughs without overdoing it (every audience is different.) And I also thought she looked radiant in the costumes.

[worrell4077]

Posted: 2/9/08 at 6:26pm

I saw Emily Hsu as Lady of The Lake on Tuesday and I thought she was okay, she wasn't the greatest. I had seen only two others in the role before her and both Marian and Sara were better. I didn't think she screamed alot and I thought that a good amount of her jokes worked.

That being said, I didn't much care for Clay. His singing is alright and he is funny, but I just didn't care for him in the role. Robin is supposed to be a coward with a love of musical theatre, to me Clay made him abit less of a coward and more flamboyant.

[JEK216]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 5:33pm

According to those at the shows on Saturday, the Shubert was jam packed at both shows. Even the balcony was full. Hannah is still not back, as of yesterday. I think Clay is adjusting well into the parts he plays. I understand not everyone is going to like his interpretation of the Sir Robin character. He does not play it as subdued as DHP did. But from what I've heard, he is impressing a lot of people.(Not just his fans) So, it's all good.

Sunday matinee, both Hannah W. and Tom D. were absent from the show. No stagedoor signing, due to the high winds and cold, in NYC.

Updated On: 2/10/08 at 05:33 PM

[beachbaby]

Posted: 2/10/08 at 7:08pm

I saw SPAMALOT last night. I had seen the show once before with the original cast so I was anxious to see how it worked with the cast changes of Clay Aiken and Hannah Waddingham. I was very disappointed to find that Hannah was not performing. We sat in center orchestra, Row C, which was wonderful. The theater appeared to be sold out as there were quite a few people in the SRO area.

Emily Hsu was passable as the Lady of the Lake. Chris Sieber and Tom Deckman were fantastic. I have to admit that I was very impressed with Clay Aiken's performance. The guy has a tremendous voice and turned out to be a real scene stealer. All in all, it was a great show. I will consider catching it again if and when Hannah returns.

[ucrfl]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 5:15pm

I am a huge Monty Python fan and can recite the script, and I found the musical hysterical on 2/9/08 at the evening performance. Having not seen the original cast, I cannot compare. I thought the lead did a servicable Tim Curry impression. Clay Aiken was funny, but not Eric Idle (who could be?)

I liked Emily Hsu as the Lady of the Lake, but cannot compare her to any others who have playued the part.

I particularly enjoyed the ad-lib referring to Amy Winehouse and her inability to attend the Grammy's due to visa problems, and having to appear by satellite.

I have not laughed so hard in a long time, and my theater mates told me I laughed before most of the audience, so that likely means many have not seen the film. GO SEE IT! I would have liked to have seen the encounter at the bridge, but I guess it would have been hard to throw people off....

"What is your NAME? What is your quest? What is your favorite color!!!!?"

I was put off by the $25 cost for the killer rabbit puppet. Are they insane?

I have to sign off. I hear people chanting "Spam, wonderful spam." and they are getting closer! RUN AWAY!

[musiclover4]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 7:24pm

Nice interview and article regarding Clay Aiken in Spamalot.
http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=560459&pn=1

[Cartwheel]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 7:47pm

Great interview! My favorite quotes:

""If somebody said to me, 'Who in this cast has never done theater?' he is the last person I would have chosen," says Hannah Waddingham, the Olivier Award-nominated British musical star who joined the Tony-winning musical as the Lady of the Lake the same night Aiken debuted."

"There was a big concern for me—and I'll speak to you about this because your outlet speaks directly to [theater] people—about what they call "stunt casting." Based on some research I did, I know that a lot of diehard Broadway fans can't stand it, so there was automatic concern that people within the industry were going to be upset that I was doing this because I took [the role] away from somebody else or I didn't earn my way; I didn't audition the way everybody else does. I was concerned about that, not just in terms of Broadway fans but people in the cast who might have wanted to see somebody else get it. And I could not have been more wrong when it comes to the people who work in the industry. There's always going to be some 13-year-old sitting at his computer in Topeka who's bitter. But every person I've worked with has been unbelievably phenomenal and welcoming. "


"Mike Nichols isn't known for stunt casting. And in any case, you are a natural at this. What's been the biggest challenge for you?

It's so physically demanding, which is interesting because [original Sir Robin] David Hyde Pierce is an amazing actor, but he's not a dancer and neither am I. The fact that they would ask us to do this part cracks me up. David Hibbard, who plays Patsy in the show and whose dressing room is next to mine, has become one of my favorite people because he's been so warm and inviting. He was telling me that when he first got to the show, for whatever reason they had him play Robin for two weeks, and he said he was never able to breathe because it's such a hard part. And he was in Cats for years. I said, "How interesting, because I can't breathe either!""

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 8:15pm

Yeah, Clay certainly impressed me. I was very pleasantly surprised by his performance, and he didn't seem out of place at all.

[louisamayfoster]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 9:14pm

That Broadway.com article strikes me as damage control. How strange to have a watch dog while being interviewed.

[MassiveMeGo]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 9:36pm

Is this the first time you've encountered the concept of a star having a publicist? Are you one of those 13 year olds from Topeka?

louisamayfoster-Posted On: 1/22/08 at 10:06 PM

Believe me, I've smacked myself over the Clay Aiken nonsense.

You could try smacking yourself again :)

Updated On: 2/11/08 at 09:36 PM

[louisamayfoster]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 10:00pm

"Are you one of those 13 year olds from Topeka?"
"You could try smacking yourself again :)"
Condoning child abuse are you?
Maybe you need a publicist MassiveMeGo.

I was once a big fan and lots of people I know LOVED Aiken when he was on American Idol. Since then he has done a lot to disappoint. Your devotion to him will not change the way people feel about his music and personality - he'll have to do that himself...with a little help from cooperative journalists.

As for Spamalot - it's a GREAT night of fun and I love it even though I have not seen it with Aiken.

VVVVClaymates are meanVVVVshe said with a confident and dignified air. Now...I'm off to enjoy the Merman threads.


Updated On: 2/11/08 at 10:00 PM

[MassiveMeGo]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 10:17pm

Maybe you need some reading comprehension classes. You were the one that felt that you needed a few good smacks to regain your dignity.

[Mikers]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 10:22pm

Spamalot and Hairspray had the highest rebound in the ticket grosses last week. 17.9% is a nice bump.

[JEK216]

Posted: 2/11/08 at 10:31pm

Cooperative journalists??? You mean a journalist who asks questions about his work (not his personal life), then lets him answer in his own words, without spinning it to fit their own preconceived notions or agendas. What a concept!!! This is truely the first interview, in a long time, that sounds like the same man I've heard speak at concerts, and in radio interveiws. You know the live ones, that aren't edited first.

Thanks Mikers, glad to hear that.

Updated On: 2/11/08 at 10:31 PM

[HeddaG]

Posted: 2/12/08 at 8:58am

I don't have a dog in this show - but have to comment on cooperative journalists. Let's face it - interviewers have a point of view when they decide to interview someone. There's a reason behind it for all interviews, interviewers, interviewees. To be controversial.. .To promote a product... To generate interest...Whatever. I have no doubt that the interviewer from Broadway.com had a point of view going into her article. Why wouldn't she? Doesn't mean it's any less valid. She enjoyed interviewer her subject and he enjoyed talking to her. Made for an interesting article and a chance for someone like me who has really only heard sound bites from Clay Aiken to actually hear what he had to say.