spamalot review anyone?

[broadwaynut20]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 12:48am

Did anyone see the opening night of spamalot? I might be seeing a preview of it in march and i was just wondering what you though of it. And I am a huge christopher sieber fan

[Megs11]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 1:19am

I saw last night and tonight. It was aweseome! Everyone in the show was great. The songs were great. The costumes were great. The audience really seemed to love it! I have to say that Christopher Sieber and Sara Ramirez really stood out. I thought they made the show. They were fantastic! Definitely try to catch the preview. Its gonna be big!

Posted: 1/6/05 at 11:43am

I saw this show last night.

I agree that the sets and costumes were very good.

I also agree that the songs were funny.

Sara Rameriez steals the show. My only complaint about her would be that at one point she goes out into the house. At the Schubert Theater in Chicago, as with many theaters in NYC, the sight lines for the balcony and mezzanine END at the edge of the apron, so when she went into the house, she litterally disappeared.

I will say this: If you're NOT a Monty Python fan, this show may get on your nerves.

The song "you've got to have jews" seemed to be a baltant rip-off of "Springtime for Hitler" and the song in which Lancelot Comes-Out seemed to be a blatant "we've got to have a gay number in the show."

So in closing, I will say that I liked the show, but would not pay to see it again. I predict that once the original cast leaves, the show will not last long in NYC.

Posted: 1/6/05 at 12:51pm

Gosh I guess we disagree. I thought the two numbers mentioned were the high points of the show, but maybe it's because by the time they hit, I was used to idea that Spamalot was not really going to be breaking new ground that their familiarity wasn't much of a surprise.

And we'll have to see as far as the show's viability with a new cast goes. I think that the roles are not that demanding and recasting won't make that big of difference-- especially since the make up and accents are so thick I often couldn't immediately tell who was who. But, of course that is what they said about Producers, too. Only time and box office results will tell!

[Depaultheatrekid]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 1:21pm

I am going to see the show tomorrow and I plan on giving a detailed review without any spoilers of course

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 1:31pm

"The song "you've got to have jews" seemed to be a baltant rip-off of "Springtime for Hitler" and the song in which Lancelot Comes-Out seemed to be a blatant "we've got to have a gay number in the show."

Um...that is sort of the point. Guess it went over your head. This show is as much a spoof on "BROADWAY!!!" as it is of Arthur. I would say it is more Forbidden Broadway meets Monty Python by way of Holy Grail.

And Sara Ramirez is a true find.

[Stagedoor2]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 2:59pm

I also saw "Spamalot" last night and truly enjoyed the experience so I guess we all have different views. I've never seen the movie and I'm not the biggest fan of Monty Python, but I thought it was great.

Sueleen -- I LOVE your quote and the icon. Got to love The Match Game...

[sandra77]

Posted: 1/6/05 at 4:18pm

regarding the second act of "Spamalot" -- henceforth known as when a silly but clever show took a nosedive into sad pandering -- and the following quote:

The song "you've got to have jews" seemed to be a baltant rip-off of "Springtime for Hitler" and the song in which Lancelot Comes-Out seemed to be a blatant "we've got to have a gay number in the show."

The idea that these songs went over the head of somebody who didn't enjoy them is hardly true. Eric Idle wanted to do "The Producers" originally with Brooks, and "you've got to have jews" is obviously his wannabe song from that show, while Lancelot's coming out song was just embarrassing. These didn't go over anybody's head, rather they spun right into the gutter.

It wasn't just that these songs were beside-the-point and offensive (which they were), the problem was that they were so unfunny and really killed the show's good-natured momentum. The truth is that if a song is clever and funny enough, nothing else else matters. But given what a crap song "you've got to have jews" was, it gave you plenty of time to ponder just how offensive it really is (unless you're somebody who thinks the mere mention of jews and/or gays is funny in and of itself, than you'll love it!).

Like "Wicked," "Spamalot" would have been quite enjoyable if I had left at intermission -- and this comes from somebody who's a huge Python fan. Also like "Wicked," it will do quite well on Broadway, regardless of its quality.

Posted: 1/6/05 at 7:53pm

Wow Sandra we saw totally different shows! The audience response after both of those numbers were HUGE when I saw it. I would say that those were the strongest songs in the show. And offense is totally in the eyes of the beholder, but as a gay man I sure wasn't offended by the Gay number. As I've said before, this show wasn't the most innovative thing I've ever seen, but I thought it was very funny and not the least bit offensive.

And honestly, it never occurred to me that there was any kind of link to "Springtime For Hitler." I thought that Lancelot's number was a sly dig at "Boy From Oz" though.....

And just to throw some Kerosene on the fire, does anyone recall how the Gay plot is resolved in the film? When he discovers that his son is gay, the Knight throws his son out the window to his death. I think a fabulous production number with rainbow clad back up dancers celebrating his coming out might actually be viewed as a wee bit more supportive....

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 12:57pm

I saw the show last night and pondered the offensiveness of the Jew song and the Gay song. I found neither offensive and both rather funny and fun. As JoeKv99 pointed out, the gay scene in the film is WAY more offensive than how it was resolved in the stage production, which tied into the Broadway theme in the second act, which ties into the Jew song. The both continue the musical spoofs established in the first act and if you really think about it, the idea that Jews are required to make a Broadway show successful isn't really that offensive. Not nearly as much as Springtime for Hitler. The audience reaction to both numbers in Spamalot was wildly enthusiastic last night. To see a Monty Python musical and expect it to be gutter-free is quite naive. Both songs were in the same spirit as the fart jokes, mutilation, witch burning, and pants soiling. To imply that those songs were what threw the show into the gutter is to admit that you haven't paid attention to the rest of the show. As a gay man, I found the gay song to be a good-natured toungue-in-cheek moment that manages to send up the stereotype (with the exception of Lancelot, who displays no typical gay traits, which just makes it funnier) as well as paying loving respect to the gay community. Especially with the political comment referring to gay marriage. I would love to hear how a Jewish person felt about the Jew song. And other than being about Jews (directly or indirectly), I saw no resemblence between it and Springtime for Hitler at all.

[Loge]

Posted: 1/7/05 at 2:42pm

This show sounds really interesting! Is their word on a cast recording?