SHOWSTOPPERS PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS

EXUBERANT -- AND HILARIOUS -- SPAMALOT

Theater Babe Says:  Go . . .  Laugh at the Jokes, Groan at the Puns and Generally Look on the Bright Side of Life

“Restraint” seems an odd word to describe anything related to Monty Python; one reviewer of the movie upon which the Broadway show was based described the film as a depiction of “obvious lunacy.”  Here, director Ann Morrill Efimetz wisely selected a cast uniformly capable of committing to the tomfoolery that is the essence of this show, then encouraged them to embrace the ridiculousness without ever taking that one-step-too-far which can blight the humor in such broad comedy.  That restraint is what makes ShowStoppers’ Spamalot so successful. 

The plot is very loosely based upon the Arthurian legend:  King Arthur, accompanied by his faithful servant, Patsy, attempts to unite England by gathering a contingent of knights who then engage in a sacred quest to find the Holy Grail.  Along the way they engage in adventures, discover true love and stumble upon any number of reasons to sing and dance through the Middle Ages.

As King Arthur, John Cauthen is earnest and regal, humorous without succumbing to camp.  Although he is not an overly strong vocalist, Mr. Cauthen’s pleasant tone and commendable diction make up for the occasional defects in pitch.  Because Mr. Cauthen’s Arthur believably confronts the various absurd obstacles he encounters, he creates credibility within this ludicrous tale.  For example, we believe that he believes he must placate the Knights of Ni, so we are willing to accompany him through the twists and turns of his outlandish journey in a way we would not if Arthur was less sincere. 

Larry Shaw delivers strong, distinct performances in each of his personas.  As Dennis Galahad, Mr. Shaw’s impassioned arguments that “strange women lyin’ in ponds distributin’ swords is no basis for a system of government” are as convincingly heartfelt as they are droll.  His Black Knight is aggressive, if peculiarly persistent.  And in his portrayal of Herbert’s Father, Mr. Shaw is obnoxious, loud and narrow-minded -- but not totally unsympathetic. We, too, might feel the urge to smack someone upside the head if he insisted on segueing every conversation into a sappy love song.

The roles of Not Dead Fred and Prince Herbert provide the opportunities for some of the most slapstick comedy of the show, and Sam Miller’s portrayals are sidesplittingly funny.  In “He Is Not Dead Yet,” Mr. Miller dances as if his joints are made of ball-bearings, and his engaging grin and pure delight in being “not yet dead” are palpable and infectious.  Similarly, Mr. Miller fully commits to the silliness of Prince Herbert, but also brings a sweetness to the role that prevents it from becoming tiresome.  Despite the incongruity of the circumstances, we care about Prince Herbert and are delighted when he at long last finds his soul mate.

JJ Rodgers gives an accomplished performance as the Lady of the Lake.  Matt McCubbin is a pleasing Sir Robin, at his best during the hilarious “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway.”  As Sir Lancelot, Sean Hines is exceptional, particularly as the focus of the show-stopping “His Name is Lancelot.”  And Mr. Hines’ consistent, maniacal glee whenever he grabs his trusty shovel is a small detail that makes us laugh every time.

Among a strong cast, however, the standout performance is David Sebren’s portrayal of Patsy.  In “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” Mr. Sebren reveals a strong, melodious voice and he displays a charismatic stage presence without overshadowing the other actors.  His comedic timing is exceptional, perhaps most obviously displayed during King Arthur’s solo, “I’m All Alone,” during which Mr. Sebren ably expresses Patsy’s reaction without undermining Mr. Cauthen’s moment.

Producers Jeffrey Nicoloff and Susie Butler clearly spared no expense on this production and the scenery and costumes are first-rate.  Costumers Jan Clapp Bomar and Abigail Bomar presented outfits that are both period-appropriate and whimsical and successfully convey the cartoon-like feeling of the show.  The scenic design by Mr. Nicoloff and Brian Agor similarly communicates the time period in a fanciful way that enables the characters to seamlessly transition between the scenes that are period-specific and those, like the scene in Camelot, that allude to a more modern time.  Also worthy of comment is the crew who get the various set pieces on and off the stage in record time, permitting the pace of the show to continue unabated.

The lighting design by John Schoenberger thoroughly enhances the production.  In a show that is anything but subdued, Mr. Schoenberger could have used every trick in the book at all times.  Instead, he expertly combined techniques that make the most of the over-the-top production numbers with more subtle lighting that gives us a visual break and brings out the best of each type of scene. 

The Theater Babe was disappointed only in the sound quality of the production.  Some of the best humor in Spamalot is found in the song lyrics.  Here, the production team understandably chose to use prerecorded accompaniment, but too often that accompaniment drowns out the vocals.  While the musical numbers are uniformly energetic and enjoyable, they would be better yet if the lyrics could be more clearly understood.

Bottom line?  Broad comedy is among the most difficult of theatre to present, and this production of Spamalot succeeds as much for its restraint as for its uninhibitedness.  As with any Monty Python piece, this show is not for everyone; those who believe that theatre is worthy only if it evokes deep emotion and dwells on thought-provoking themes would not appreciate this production.  The Theater Babe is not nearly that dignified, however, and those similarly situated will find this show to be well worth the time and ticket price.

 

Remaining performances are today, October 27^th at 2:00 p.m. AND 7:30 p.m.

at the Kimball Theatre, 4242 West Duke of Gloucester Street,

Merchants Square, Williamsburg, Virginia.

General admission is $24 with discounts for seniors, students and military.

Tickets available by calling 1-800-HISTORY.

 

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