Spamalot just hurts my ears

[JakeB]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 6:15pm

Everything I have heard from Spamalot sounds dreadful. The Producers seems like a subtle parody next to this. The lyrics, the send-ups, everything - just completely not funny at all. But then again, from what I've read about it being a musical for people who don't like Broadway, I guess this is an easy way of getting laughs. Just a shame it can't be wittier/better. "The Song That Goes Like This" does not even raise a slight smile; Forbidden Broadway does it better, sorry. "You Won't Succeed on Broadway" is just a lame attempt at copying "Keep It Gay". Really not bothered about it coming to London at all.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 6:23pm

"You Won't Succeed on Broadway" is just a lame attempt at copying "Keep It Gay"

It's really not. But if you're judging the show on the OCR rather than by seeing it on stage, then more fool you.

[JenD512]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 6:23pm

Oh, then let me have your seat.

I love Broadway--and Spamalot was hilarious. If you can't take a joke, I suggest seeing something else. Please.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 6:27pm

I also love Broadway and see as many shows as possible. I absolutely adored Spamalot. It was worth every cent we had to pay to get good seats and we laughed through the entire show. I needed a night like that and Spamalot delivered more than the other shows I saw on the trip to NYC.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 6:33pm

I'm with Jake. The humor seems too forced. I admit, I have not seen the show, but, after hearing the OCR, I have no desire to see it. I wouldn't call it "dreadful", but it seems they're trying too hard. It ruins the whole believablity factor. And, yes, I realized it's a comedy, but there DOES have to be SOME sense of believability.

[JenD512]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 6:40pm

Believablity?! Are you kidding me? This is by a comedy group whose most famous song is about a cross-dressing lumberjack.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 6:42pm

Not believability in the sense that, "That could NEVER happen in the real world!" Believeability in the sense that "That could never happen in the world created before me on stage." Or, more properly for this show, the fact that the writers aren't sure of their own world.

[JakeB]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 6:59pm

I've seen a lot of theatre parodying in the theatre, Spamalot seems quite unsuccessful. But yes, I am basing it on the OCR, as I can't get to see the show living in England, but even if I do come over, Spamalot won't be on the top of my list of things to see. I can picture the audience roaring with laughter at the lyrics of those two songs.

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 7:01pm

I agree with you Jake. I really do not see the fuss with this show. I saw it, and luckily I didn't pay for full-priced seats, I got partial for $55, even those weren't woth it! I find shows like Avenue Q, DRS, and Spelling Bee much funnier. Spamalot is forced and just lame. It tries so hard to make you laugh, but it fails, IMO.

[gymman]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 7:19pm

Yeah! Finally some folks making sense. The show is so overhyped and over-rated. Any of the other 3 nominees for Best Musical would have rated higher on my list. Of course, there's plenty of talent here, but the material itself is tired. Hell, the audience laughs before the punchline (I know, but still...). I'd love to see Mike Nichols direct a different kind of musical again.

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 7:24pm

I agree, Spamalot did not deserve the tony, and whats such a joke is Piazza wins 6 TONYS!!!!!!!! but apparantley it wasn't the best musical, even though it won for 6 major categories!

[gymman]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 7:36pm

I really hoped "Piazza" would win; I can't even compare the shows. Mike Nichols is a great power broker, though, and I think that has something to do with the win. Frankly, he's the ONLY one I think may have deserved the Tony. I would have gone for Kelli O'Hara or Jan Maxwell.

[HBP]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 7:49pm

Spamalot was an incredible show. I can't comment on the Tony since it's the only Tony-nominated show I saw, but I can say it was hilarious. I think I can safely say that everyone on broadwayworld.com likes Broadway. So, if anyone on broadwayworld likes Spamalot, then you were pretty much wrong haha. It's OK if you don't like it, there are quite a few shows I don't like, but don't act like everyone else should hate it, too.

[Hoof]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 7:56pm

For this show I find that you really have to have a love for the movies. My boyfriend, who is a Monty Python freak, absolutely loves it, while I think it really isn't worthy of that Tony. It's a joke of a musical. Not the funny kind, the pathetic kind.

[freeadmission]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 8:39pm

Oh, I adore Holy Grail. I haven't seen any other Python movies, but Holy Grail I like very much. I still think the humor falls short of the movie. Part of the funniness of the movie was how unexpected and off the wall the humor was. Spamalot almost seems predictable by comparison, and not JUST because it was based off the actual movie. I still find the movie hilarious after multiple viewings, but I find Spamalot wholley unfunny. Except for some of Sara's vocals. I laughed at those...hard. Very hard.

[gymman]

Posted: 8/13/05 at 9:28pm

"So, if anyone on broadwayworld likes Spamalot, then you were pretty much wrong haha. It's OK if you don't like it, there are quite a few shows I don't like, but don't act like everyone else should hate it, too."

Huh? It's called dialogue...

And I seriously doubt you have much depth and breadth with musicals. haha
Updated On: 8/13/05 at 09:28 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 1:55pm

Oooh, how cutting edge, parodying ... PHANTOM in 2005. It's Forbidden Broadway for people who've only seen a handful of shows. And to what end? To mock musical conventions? How fresh! Daring! And the revelations about who is gay among the knights lands like a 1980s SNL skit (though it's one of the more entertaining sequences). I smiled during the show, but in post-URINETOWN musical theater, it's decidedly been-there-done-that. Of course, that's the point.

[gymman]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 4:34pm

Auggie--my sentiments exactly!
This is a show for people who don't really like or care about musical theater.
It's frat boy humor, at best.
Yes, I laughed some, but I REALLY don't get the hysteria about this particular show.

[Mamie]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 4:47pm

I love Broadway. In fact, I love THEATRE anyplace I can find it. I've been going for many, many years and SPAMALOT made me laugh till I cried.

So did The Producers.

I will always be grateful for that!

[JenD512]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 5:15pm

Would some of you like some cheese with your whine?

I love Broadway, and firmly believe it can take a joke once in awhile--unlike some people. It's a FUNNY show. It was not meant to musically re-invent the wheel, it's just meant to be silly. Judging from the lines at the box office--which don't look to be completely made up of these "frat boys" you all destest so much...it appears to be quite successful at it.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 5:18pm

free, you said


"I'm with Jake. The humor seems too forced. I admit, I have not seen the show, but, after hearing the OCR, I have no desire to see it."

well since you haven't seen the show, I'll put your "review" where it belongs......in the toilet.

[JakeB]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 5:26pm

Is it possible to say you dislike Kelly Osbourne's music without having seen her live in concert?

[Elphaba]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 5:37pm

I tend to not get negative about a show unless I have seen it.

Example, I am apparently the only one on the planet who hates Gypsy........and I will say I do not like it, BUT....I DID SEE IT so I feel comfortable with my opinion.

I adore Broadway (so much for that theory), and this was a hilarious show, and I was NOT a Monty Python fan before.

Is it great art, of course not. It's simply entertaining......

[gymman]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 5:52pm

I guess humor differs from person to person; this seems sophomoric and repetitive to me. Also, the "parody," as Auggie pointed out, is hardly timely or fresh. And to be fair to the original poster, he did specifically mention only the music--the rest of us just added stuff.
Updated On: 8/14/05 at 05:52 PM

[jeremykushnier1fan]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 9:50pm

I think you need to see the show before you judge.