Review: MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT at Eisenhower Theatre At The Kennedy Center

Monty Python's SPAMALOT, the latest installment of The Kennedy Center's Broadway Center Stage series opened Sunday night to what can only be described as howls of laughter and uproarious applause - director and choreographer Josh Rhodes and a stellar cast have taken the show to a whole new level, and they had the Opening Night crowd in the throes of laughter, from the first line to the last bow.

Spamalot, a Tony-award winning musical "Lovingly ripped off from the from the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail" is a twisted, farcical retelling of the legend of King Arthur and his knights. Only in the hands of Eric Idle (book, lyrics, and music) and John Du Prez (music), Arthur starts off on a quest to find the Holy Grail, only to end up tasked with producing a Broadway musical. (Even though Broadway is a thousand years in the future.)

There's a lot to like in this production, starting with a cast that is packed with top-tier, Broadway talent. And Rhodes keeps them moving, swapping characters with lightning speed. Rob McClure (Historian, Not Dead Fred, Baby, Nun, Minstrel, Prince Herbert, Bunny) sets the perfect tone in his opening monologue, Matthew Saldivar (Patsy, Mayor, Guard 2), and James Monroe Iglehart (King Arthur) are perfectly matched and make a wonderful team, Michael Urie (Sir Robin, Guard 1, Brother Maynard) does a marvelous job recreating the role originated by David Hyde Pierce, Alex Brightman (Sir Lancelot, The French Taunter, Knight Of Ni, Tim The Enchanter) shows the range that made him a two-time Tony nominee, and Hamilton alum Nik Walker (Sir Dennis Galahad, The Black Knight, Prince Herbertʼs Father) rounds out the incredibly talented group of knights and naves.

And then there's Drama Desk and Drama League nominee Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer. Her Lady of the Lake is deliciously campy, a diva that steals every scene she's in, whether it's singing The Song That Goes Like This with Walker, or soloing in front of the curtain in The Diva's Lament, she has both a powerful, belting voice and great comic instincts.

The ensemble (Phillip Attmore, Daniel Beeman, Maria Briggs, Michael Fatica, Ryan Kasprzak, Eloise Kropp, Daniel May, Shina Ann Morris, Kaylee Olson, Kristin Piro) also deserves special mention. In addition to singing and dancing beautifully, they all fill multiple roles in the show, as well.

It's clear that this cast enjoys working together, because there's a joyful feel to the entire production, and the whole is even greater than the sum of it's formidable parts.

As with all Broadway Center Stage productions, the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra provides a rich, vibrant accompaniment that is seldom heard in contemporary theatre productions - it's one of the special surprise touches that make a BCS show such a treat.

This production is also unique, in that the sets are more robust than in a typical BCS show. Scenic and Projection Designer Paul Tate DePoo III has created a robust and substantial set of castles, and a lovely and innovate forest (among other things) along with unobtrusive projections that give the production a nice mix of "old school" and modern feel.

Lighting, sound, costumes and hair and makeup are all spot-on - every designer on the creative team adds to the production with flawless execution.

In short, this is a show you don't want to miss. It's a delightfully hilarious, bawdy romp with some nice updates - Iglehart's MLK moment, and a clever little Mother's Day improv with Brightman, along with a "don't blink or you'll miss it" dig at George Santos, are just a few of the fun touches in the show.

Speaking of bawdy, there are a few instances of mildly adult language and situations, so I'd rate the show as PG-13. And like all things Python, it makes no effort to be politically correct. (Google John Cleese's thoughts on political correctness, and you'll get a sense of where this show lands - no one is spared. But it's all done in good fun, and very tongue-in-cheek.)

Spamalot runs through May 21st, and will sell out fast. Running time is 2:15, with one intermission. For more information about The Kennedy Center, click here.

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