[NEohioPAL] Berko review: SPAMALOT @ Beck

Roy Berko royberko at gmail.com
Sun Jul 14 19:25:13 PDT 2013


*SPAMALOT:  silly fun at Beck*

Roy Berko
(Member, American Theatre Critics Association, Cleveland Critics Circle)

You know you aren’t in for the typical Broadway musical, when, at the start
of SPAMALOT, now on stage at Beck Center, a historian gives a brief
overview of medieval England and a Finnish village appears with dancers
slapping each other with dead fish as they perform the “Fisch Schlapping
Song.”   That opening, complete with women knocking down their male
partners, is just the start of the bizarre goings on.

You don’t go to see SPAMALOT to learn the history of Britain, or gain a
political or social message. You go to have a fun time watching a musical
version of the 1975 film, MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, an irreverent
parody of the King Arthur legend, with lots of ditsy sidetracks.

The Broadway production, which starred Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce and
Hank Azaria, was written by Eric Idle, with music by John DuPrez.  It won
three awards at the 2004-2005 Tony ceremonies.

We gleefully watch as King Arthur travels the lands with his servant Patsy,
trying to recruit Knights for his famous round table in Camelot.  Don’t
confuse this with Lerner and Lowe’s CAMELOT.  That version of the story
offers the idea of the perfect time, place, and love story.  This look-see
shreds the idyllic with hysteria.

In the process of the “plot” development, we are introduced to the Lady of
the Lake, a political radical mother and son who think the king should be
elected, an Excalibur resort, the presence of and the word of God, the
search for the Holy Grail, lewd French soldiers, a Trojan rabbit, cancan
dancers, a holy hand grenade, the search for shrubbery, an explanation of
why you can’t do Broadway musicals without Jews, the revelation of a gay
“princess,” the outing of Lancelot, and the importance of the Beck
theatre’s seat A101.

Songs such as “I’m Not Dead Yet,” “Laker Girls Cheer,” “The Song That Goes
Like This,” “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway,” “The Diva’s Lament,” “Here Are
You,” “I’m All Alone,” and “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” carry
us on the convoluted journey.

Beck’s production, under the direction of Scott Spence, wisely goes for
guffaws.  Though even more exaggeration and a faster pace would have been
appropriate, to the delight of the audience, most of the farcical shticks
work.

Martin Céspedes, the master of getting non to mediocre dancers look like
real hoofers lets lose his creative juices.  The stage explodes with tap,
jazz, South American and modern dances.  The classic FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
bottle dance, the can-can and a hip hop repertoire add to the fun.

Musical director Larry Goodpaster’s orchestra plays excellently, but they
sometimes get over-enthusiastic and drown out the singers.  Since hearing
the words being sung is vital to understanding the show and inciting the
laughs, this, and some overdone accents, turns out to be a detriment.  The
vocal sound of the chorus and cast members is excellent.

The cast is universally good.  Dougfred Miller displays the right pomp and
self-effacing dimwit attitude to give us a very credible King Arthur.  Pat
Miller delights as Patsy.  Miller and Miller’s “I’m All Alone” is laugh
infused glee.

Brian Altman has the right attitude for the macho, yet closeted Lancelot.
Matthew Ryan Thompson uses his comic talents well as Sir Robin.

Tim Allen is fun as Prince Herbert (or should it be Princess Herbert?).
His “Where Are You” and “Here Art You,” are show highlights.  Jessica L.
Cope, she of powerful voice and well-endowed body, wails as Lady of the
Lake.  Her “The Diva’s Lament (Whatever Happened to My Part?),” was
delightful.

The female dancers are strong.  The males vary in their abilities, with
Storm Hurwitz and Christopher Sanders giving standout performances.

Trad Burns’ set design and Aimee Kluber’s costumes, add the right era
touches.

*CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: As my grandson Noah, one of the kid reviewers who goes
along to give me a fresh eye to shows, said as we exited the theatre, “That
was fun.  I really liked it!”  Anyone who is in the mood for silliness and
exaggerated humor should  totally enjoy Beck’s ”you’ve got to see this,”
SPAMALOT!*

SPAMALOT is scheduled to run through August 18 at Beck Center for the
Arts.  For tickets and information call 216-521-2540 or
http://www.beckcenter.org
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