Spamalot

Spamalot is one of my favourite shows and this production did not disappoint. The young cast was energetic, funny and showed wonderful comic timing to have the audience in stitches. Some roles usually played by males were played by females, but this did not detract from the enjoyment.

Raja Noureddine was the bemused King Arthur and worked well with the over-the-top Lady of the Lake, played by Elle Richards. Her big voice matched her big personality.

Jack Richardson was brilliant as Sir Robin, and his “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway” was a highlight of the show. His dancing was as impressive as his singing. Ryan Ward and Nick Schinckel were effective as Lancelot and Galahad and Bella Wiemers very funny as Arthur’s offsider, Patsy. There were no weak links.

The sets weren’t the most elaborate I’ve seen for this show, but they were worked well and, with some scenes played in front of the curtain, the show kept moving. The dancing was effective, but the strongest part was the ensemble harmony singing.

The band was a little wayward occasionally and sometimes too loud, particularly for dialogue. The Frenchmen with their strong accents were also difficult to understand.

I had not encountered this company before, and was amazed to read they had been producing shows for over 100 years, though I understand this was their most ambitious production yet. It was thoroughly enjoyable and I hope to see many more.

Graham Ford