Photo Flash: Jon Culshaw & Eric Idle Gear Up for West-End SPAMALOT

Check out these pictures taken at BBC White City when TV impressionist Jon Culshaw met up with Monty Python's Eric Idle, who wrote and created 'Spamalot'. Jon Culshaw is playing the role of King Arthur in the all-new production of Monty Python's Spamalot at The Harold Pinter Theatre in London when the new version of the show returns to the West End.

Culshaw is sharing the role of King Arthur with Marcus Brigstocke and will be performing alongside Todd Carty and Bonnie Langford. The play runs from 31 July - 9 September with previews from 24 July. Jon taking on the role of King Arthur from 2 August - 2 September.

This version of the play has been created to be more like the original version which was performed by the Cambridge Footlights when the Monty Python team first met.

Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot is a kind-of new musical with a book by Eric Idle and a new score created by Eric Idle and John Du Prez.

Spamalot tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and features a bevy (or possibly a brace) of beautiful show girls, witch burnings (cancelled due to health and safety) not to mention cows, killer rabbits and French people. The show features fantastic tunes more magical than a Camelot convention, including He Is Not Dead Yet, Knights of the Round Table, Find Your Grail and of course the Nation’s Favourite Comedy Song (Reader’s Digest Poll 2010 - before it went bust) Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life.

The full company includes; Robin Armstrong as Sir Bedevere, Rob Delaney as Sir Robin, Adam Ellis as Prince Herbert, Kit Orton as Sir Lancelot and Jon Robyns as Sir Galahad, along with Amelia Adams Pearce, Tim Bonser, Michael Burgen, Rachel Knowles, Hannah Malekzad, James Nelson and Paul Bullion. Spamalot is directed by Christopher Luscombe and features Eric Idle himself as God.

This new production began in May 2010 and during that time there have been seven onstage moustache incidents, one suspected case of swine flu (French pigs!), one outbreak of nits and 36 pairs of coconuts used (That Todd Carty is stronger than he looks!). The cast “Looked on the Bright Side of Life” eight times a week, and yes, everyone has to sing along!

www.spamalotontour.co.uk

Photo Credit: Dan Wooller / wooller.com.