Review: Find Your Grail at the Athens Theater's SPAMALOT

Based on the quintessential British comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the Athens Theater's production of SPAMALOT will have you not only crying of laughter, but wishing you could see it again and again. Whether you're the number one Monty Python fan in your family and know every line of the film or this is your first dive into the quirky and over-the-top humor of Python, the show's wit, tenacity, and outstanding musical numbers leave something for everyone to enjoy.

From the get-go it's easy to see how much work and care the Athens put into this production. Not onLy was the acting superb and spot on, but the the sets were simple and gorgeous. They used their space superbly and made it their own while also heralding the audience back into the medieval period of the film. They even used the Monty Python art style in things such as the clouds that hung about the stage and God's foot.

The meat and gravy of the show however (or should I say ham and jam) is the outstanding actors and actresses. Michael Funaro's King Arthur was perfect in every sense of the word. His dry humor in contrast to some of the more eccentric characters was spot on. I was relieved to see when it came to the musical numbers featuring Funaro, his singing talent kept up with his acting. His voice is clear and strong, and exactly what one would expect from the proud King of the Britains.

Becca Southworth's Lady of the Lake was absolutely spellbinding. Her charm matched with her comedic talent made her an absolute delight to watch. Southworth truly had me grinning from ear to ear every time she was onstage. Her vocal range was amazing and she clearly has the most vocal talent in the show. Her combination of humor with such amazing acting and singing talent was something amazing to witness.

One of the standouts in the show was Justin Glass. Glass plays the part of Sir Robin, as well as a myriad of other characters, and his versatility left me in awe. With just a simple facial expression he had the entire audience in stitches. From the musical-theater-loving Sir Robin, to an extremely nimble Dancing Monk, he made every one of his characters unique and hilarious in their own right. Glass is studying musical theater at the Boston Conservatory and with his natural acting ability it would be no surprise to learn of his theater success in the future.

SPAMALOT is not simply a musical version of a film - it is a hilarious piece of theater and the Athens Theater truly does it justice. Directed by Trevor Southworth, this production shines with it's use of both over the top and subtle humor, perfect sets, and catchy musical numbers. It's hard to be anything but light hearted on your way out of the theater. You may find yourself humming "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" on your way to the car and all the way home!

SPAMALOT runs now until August 14 at the Athens Theater in Deland. For tickets and more information, click here.

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