'Holy Grail' vs. 'Spamalot' - — Page 2

scott, like someone else mentioned, what exactly were you expecting when you walked into a monty python musical called "Spamalot?" And with $140 tickets to a PREVIEW, why the hell wouldnt you at least stay for the second act to see how things wrapped up. Your advice for people to immediately sell their tickets on ebay is both patronizing and moronic, not to mention extremely egotistical, thinking that the board members here would follow your (who joined the board a few hours ago) advice and just give away any investment we might have made in purchasing our tickets. If new musicals like Spamalot dont fit your sophisticated tastes, I hope broadways yet to come offerrings of Good Vibrations or All Shook up better suit you.

So "boy" here is a little unsolicited advice for you. Lighten up and try to get your point across without the insults and name calling if that is possible within your limited intellect. Now go take your nap.

Your scholarly "unsolicited advice" scott has proved fairly meaningless to me. It's exactly that--unsolicited and unwanted. Your own post is filled with more hypocricy than my own "amateur" opinion of theatre. You tell me to quit the namecalling, yet address me in a manner emphasizing the "boy" portion of my user name here (as if this will somehow demean my intellect or insult me). You know neither my age nor my experience in the "thea-tuh" as you would probably refer to it. All I am saying is it seems fairly idiotic to walk out of a show half way through expecting the polar opposite of what anyone in that theatre full well knew they were going to be served up. It's one thing to join the boards and advise people to sell their tickets to something because you didn't appreciate half of it. It's another thing to make false judgements about board users who have been here for a while and discredit their own opinion becuase of a portion of a user name. BUt dont worry. Im sure Mike Nichols won't lose any sleep over your opinion of his work. However, I have lost some in writing this. I guess I'll go take my nap now.

As a "Long time listener, first time caller" I joined up just to respond to the idea that this show is a dreadful disappointment and you should sell off your tickets: I can't understand how any one could possibly feel that way especially if you are a Monty Python fan: the first act is exactly what one would expect, a talented cast "recreating" many classic scenes from the film and adding some Broadway production numbers. The second tops it and takes it in delightful directions.

I saw the show Christmas night, in a packed house and I didn't see a single person who looked like they didn't love it. The buzz is building strong on this one and I was hit up repeatedly by scalpers who were looking to buy any extra tickets.

This will be a huge, Producers-size hit and, unlike Producers, I don't think it will be star-driven at all and so will probably run better. While the cast was all delightful, you could have recast any of the leads with out seriously damaging the show. In fact, I heard many people discussing as I left: "That was David Hyde Pierce as Such-and-such?" The doubling, heavy accents and make-up makes you feel much of the (Male) cast is interechangeable.

But make no mistake: Sara Ramirez is indeed the next Diva on the Rise! Funny, cute and she has a way with a Belt!

So that's the view from one corn-fed Chicago theatre buff: I liked Spam, a lot.

you could rotate any numbeer of good comedic actors into the leads. Great singing and dancing not required - just the ability to be funny and do good accents!

I think they can keep everything if they just tighten it up a bit. I only saw it the final dress rehearsal but I had a great time. There was some problems with sets and it obviously needed some peformances under it's belt. But that is what a pre-Broadway run is for, no?
I'm sorry I didn't get a program and t-shirt. I've given my ticket for January 11 to someone I am fond of. I wanted to share the fun. :)

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This is the problem with hit-or-miss humor.

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Another newbie Chicagoan here.
Long time Python fan, relatively infrequent theater goer.
I'm very interested in hearing all of your views concerning how well you think this might play on Broadway.
I would have to imagine any Python fan would enjoy it tremendously. But I am not so sure how well it will appeal to non-fans. If you are a Python fan, you are very familiar with the phenomenon where you bring up something "hilarious" only to be met with a blank stare. My guess is that for this show to be successful, it will have to appeal to a much broader audience than hardcore Python devotees. I will be interested to hear how well it succeeds on that basis.
Another thing - different parts of Spamalot could be considered offensive to christians, jews, and gays. Will this add or detract to its bigstage allure? This is my Broadway ignorance talking.
Also, I thought the very end was pretty weak. My only real complaint about the show. Of course, the movie did not have the strongest resolution imaginable. But I hope they come up with something better.
I also thought the "self referential" card got overplayed a bit - the play-about-a-play inside joking - "this is where we should sing a song that goes like this"; "we've broken the fourth wall"; etc. Very much in line with Python. I'm just not sure how well that will play with theater audiences paying top dollar.
I agree that Sara Ramirez was excellent. I've never been a huge David Hyde Pierce fan, and this show did not convert me. Thought Azaria was very good and surprisingly enjoyed Tim Curry's campiness. Tho I agree, the show does not clearly depend on any one of them.
I'm enjoying the discussion here. I'm a little surprised and disappointed that I have not seen any reviews in the Chicago press - or elsewhere on the net. Is this common for a pre-NY preview? I seem to recall there was a lot more buzz when the Producers was in town.

There have not been any reviews yet because the Press Opening isn't until one week before the Chicago engagement closes - in other words, four weeks of "previews" and one week of "performances"!

As far as potentially "offensive" humor, have you seen THE PRODUCERS? After "Springtime for Hitler", is anything really taboo?

You make many good points Dinsdale (much better/effective than those of our dearly departed friend scott who started this thread). I saw the show last night and sat third row in front of eric idol which was quite the thrill. I thought it was just drop-dead hillarious, and the great music really surprised me as well. Now, onto improvements--as for the need for a signature song, I dont really see a great need for one. DOes Producers (the show everyone seems to compare this to) have one? And even then, i would think "find your grail" would be the song. As for the outlandish jew/peter allen/phantom-like songs, I think they work, but need better book scenes surrounding them. Right now, they seem to come from absolutely nowhere. Of course, this is Python-esque humor, but when you get to a musical theatre transfer, you DO have to follow some rules. Mel Brooks, a young man growing up in the new york musical comedy theatre scene, understood this. The Producers, the film was pure biting satire. BUt he knew that a broadway transfer meant that he needed the added musical comedy element of HEART. WHat I mean by this, is even through all the mayhem, all the zany numbers and slapstick, the show needs to drive at something more human. IN producers, this is apparent in the change that Leo goes through and the true friendship that forms between max and leo. Its a crazy/hillarious show. BUt when we get to the courtroom scene in which max and leo sing to each other completely genuinely, one can't help but see the "Heart" that Spamalot may be lacking right now. Sitting in the audience, I kept waiting for a somewhat heartfelt reuKNIGHTing (youll get it when you see it) of all the knights, and some realization that they had all helped each other find their grail somehow. What it lacks right now is a sense of comraderie between the men. Even though they are all off on their own adventures, they are all striving for the same thing. ANd thats where the real heart can come through. BUt other than this, it is a wonderfully funny show, that with the addition of heart, could be monumental. BUt thats what out of town tryouts are for, and if I have confidence in anyone, it would be the experienced Eric Idol and Mike Nichols. Good luck, great show.

Well, after reading everyone's feedback... I have to say that it is more or less what you expect before you see this show. Yes you have a good idea, but to get carried away and be let down by what you did not expect. Also there are those like me or my wife that have a parallel sense of humor... sounds strange but is the only way I can explain it. My wife and I share a lot of different types of humor. But there are instances if you will that we are far a part. Some of which can be explained by opinionated bad feelings. She will not see any thing Mel Brookes, while I like pretty much all his stuff. Yet there is a more darker side to my humor than what she says is not acceptable. I can watch "Natural Born Killers" or "Killer Clowns from Outer Space" and laugh. None of which did well when was released. Imagine "Natural Born Killers" as musical on Broadway!

Well as you can see I am not very much opionated as most.

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Some people like to chew Butt Stake... Others order Prime Rib and get Butt Stake... And the complainers expect Fillet Mignon when they order Butt Stake.

Updated On: 12/29/04 at 01:55 PM

Christopher, I definitely caught the Company reference, and for a while I thought I got it wrong because I was cracking up, but I was the only one in my section who was. I missed the Fosse reference, though. What was it?

I definitely agree with you on point "a" about the cow song.

On a random note, now that I finally figured out where "I'm Not Dead Yet" is on the Spamalot webpage, I've had it stuck in my head.

The Fosse reference comes in the second act when all the knights cross the stage three times..

The first time they bust out into a tap dance

The third time they broke into West Side Story

The SECOND TIME...the broke out into an all out Fosse-movement fest...I was dying to say the least, athought, of the three bits, that got the least reaction.

It makes me wonder how much knowledge of musical theatre I have...lol

Updated On: 12/31/04 at 01:24 AM