Spamalot - School Edition

Book & Lyrics by Eric Idle. Music by John du Prez & Eric Idle. Perth Youth Theatre. Venue 360. Friday, 12th April 2024

As a long-time fan of Monty Python, it’s criminal that I’ve never seen a production of their stage show Spamalot, “lovingly ripped off” from their 1975 Holy Grail film. Apart from my love of the film and their Flying Circus series, I went into this show blind, and was left astounded by the level of talent and professionalism in the cast - all of whom were under 18!

The Perth Youth Theatre gathered their 30+ cast members on Monday the 8th of April, and within a matter of days, presented a full-length musical on Friday the 12th to a full house. Hosted at Venue 360, the company made great use of the stage, particularly the revolving rings, making for some terrific chase scenes, and the LED rear screen, providing a myriad of atmospheric settings while keeping a minimalistic set.

Walter Gitten’s King Arthur led the Knights (of the Round Stage) with absurdity and valour. Karlee Award winner Logan Bin Bakar played Sir Dennis Galahad, the constitutional peasant turned gallant knight, never failing to crack up the audience. Katherine Power as the Lady of the Lady was also an impressive standout, demonstrating not only a heavenly vocal range, but also excellent comedic timing, particularly in her song, “What Ever Happened To My Part?”

Sir Robin, Lancelot, and Bedevere, played by Chloe Christiansen, Angus Roberts, and Alice Lindsay respectively, were all exceptional editions to Gitten’s court. Christiansen’s rendition of ‘You Won’t Succeed on Broadway’ has been stuck in my head for days, and Roberts’ scene with Not Dead Fred, played by Kate Parnaby, had me in stitches in the first 10 minutes of the show.

Some of the words were difficult to pick up in the larger chorus pieces, as the quick, tongue-twister nature of Eric Idle’s lyrics can melt together if not enunciated precisely, however the general idea was never lost on the audience. Moreover, the fact that no lines or lyrics seemed to be dropped truly displayed the level of dedication and professionalism this young cast have.

Despite the School Edition making a couple of changes to the script to be more appropriate, I was surprised that some original lyrics were left in, despite the shift in cultural relevance (“I’m constantly replaced by Britney Spears!”), and that the ‘His Name is Lancelot’ number was kept. While it was an entertaining performance from start to finish, it did have me questioning its place in a youth production.

What was wonderful about Perth Youth Theatre’s Spamalot was the chance for every performer to shine, whether through comic acting, intricate choreography (by Maddy Batten), strong vocals, and even some impressive accent work. Each performer, whether a principal role or a fleeting cameo, brought the whole stage to life. The numbers where most (if not all) of the cast were involved were the true highlights, particularly ‘Knights of the Round Table’, complete with full Vegas-style lighting (by Director Trevor Patient) and costuming (by Katrina Patient).

The amount of talent present in this cast was phenomenal. From dancers, vocalists, comedians, and actors - I am certain that the future of theatre is secured with the fine talent of Perth’s young performers.

Peri Watson