Monty Python's Spamalot at Wynn Las Vegas Hotel and Casino in Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

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Justin Brill, left, and
John O'Hurley as King Arthur.

If Monty Python is the Holy Grail of comedy, then Spamalot is its love child, and Las Vegas audiences are in for a real treat. On Saturday March 31^st Steve and Elaine Wynn hosted an international galaxy of celebrities at Wynn Las Vegas for Spamalot’s gala opening. The program states: Monty Python’s Spamalot — “The new musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail” from the original screenplay by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin".

How clever of Eric Idle to use “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” as the foundation for a musical comedy that has garnered three Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The book and lyrics for Spamalot are by Eric Idle, the music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, and the director is legendary comedy genius, Mike Nichols.

The musical is an outrageously funny blend of historical myths and figures — King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table along with the Lady of the Lake and a wild assortment of dancing divas and peripheral characters on a quest for the Holy Grail. There is no intermission, so the iconoclastic Arthurian parody keeps the audience alert for ninety minutes of fun.

In 2005 I saw Spamalot at the Shubert Theatre in New York. It opened as a star-driven production. Tim Curry played King Arthur, David Hyde Pierce played Sir Robin, Guard 1, Brother Maynard, Sir Lancelot and the French Taunter, and Hank Azaria played Knight of Ni, Tim the Enchanter, Sir Dennis Galahad, and the Black Knight. If you weren’t familiar with Monty Python you recognized Tim Curry from the cult hit “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, David Hyde Pierce from “Frazier”, and Hank Azaria from “Tuesdays With Morrie” and “The Simpsons”. Keeping up with the cast, figuring out who was playing which role was part of the fun.

King Arthur leads the Knights of the Round Table in the "Quest".

In the new Las Vegas production John O’Hurley stars as King Arthur. The actor best known for his portrayal of J. Peterman on “Seinfeld”, and more recently as the ultimate champion on season one of “Dancing with the Stars”, proves himself to be a musical comedy star. He has the presence, personality, timing, and singing voice to command the stage. O’Hurley is supported by a brilliant ensemble cast. As The Lady of the Lake, Nikki Crawford fully uses her attributes to make this, one of the best female roles in years, memorable. Her voice ranges from the sensuously mystical to the torrid.

Mirth and Merriment in the Medieval Ages.

Tony winning director Mike Nichols strives for spontaneity, drawing the audience in, creating a fluid, if not interactive, experience. He makes the scenes move quickly, and with Casey Nicholaw’s Tony award-winning choreography, the show plays with lightening speed. Tim Hatley’s set and costume designs capture the essence of Python animator, actor, and director Terry Gilliam. You may even leave the theater singing the catchy tune, “Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life”.

Three Pythons flew in for the opening: Eric Idle, John Cleese, and Terry Gilliam. Over the years they each have branched out, but I couldn’t help but think of their original 1969 BBC television variety show, “Monty Python and the Flying Circus”.

Spamalot is a riotous and raucous romp of chivalry.

When an opportunity presented itself I asked Eric Idle how he Vegas-sized Spamalot.

The Lady of the Lake
brings love to Camelot.

“Well,” he began, “there’s no intermission — which is tough on comedy because after about fifty minutes you need a rest if you’ve been laughing. It’s a physical activity, so it’s tiring. So no matter what you do, around seventy or seventy-five minutes you have to really tickle them to keep them laughing. Keep them going.”

“Is there room for improv?” I wanted to know. After all, the show seems so contemporary, so spontaneous.

“We don’t encourage them to improv”, Idle says without hesitation. “But we do, in the rehearsal period — we’ll have some”.

“So the lines are actually set?”

“Oh, yes. We don’t play. We have a good writer.” After a brief, straight-faced pause, he smiles.

“We know,” I chided. He is the writer, after all.

Randall Keith, left, as Concordie,
and J. Anthony Crane as Lancelot.

Idle went on to describe the Pythons beginning days as “the best of times”. When the six of them: Graham Chapman (who died in 1989), John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin began their BBC variety show. Not unlike the original cast of Saturday Night Live, they were on a cutting edge that allowed them to follow their creativity to some very unusual places. The Pythons have been making people laugh for almost 40 years.

In a particularly ebullient mood, Minnesota-born Terry Gilliam, joined his cohorts on the red carpet. Married to an English woman, he has divided his time between the two continents. Last year he gave up his American citizenship in favor of Britain. I asked him why.

Crane also portrays
The Knight of Ni.

“I didn’t feel like encumbering my heirs with paying off death duties in America, a country I’ve not lived in for forty years — but I’ve paid taxes in America for forty years and I thought I’d paid enough. Time to call it quits, especially since most of the taxpayer’s money is not going to health or welfare or education, but building nasty things to drop on people — so — time to get out.”

John Cleese and his wife breezed past, stopping briefly to discuss comedy with a man from People magazine. Describing the way the group worked as a writing team, Cleese said, “The Pythons always came to make each other laugh. We used to get together every six or seven working days and we’d read out what we’d written during that time — and the only aim was to make each other laugh. If the other guys laughed it was in the show and if they didn’t, it wasn’t in the show”.

Harry Bouvy as Sir Robin.

Steve Wynn, who genuinely loves art and theater, traces his passion back to the Broadway shows that inspired him in his youth. With conviction he insisted: “Musical theater has moments on stage that nothing on stage can top! I saw Rex Harrison in ‘My Fair Lady’, and I saw Bob Goulet play Lancelot when I was a student. I was in the fifth row when Ben Vereen came out in ‘Pippin’ and said, ‘We’ve got magic to do’. I know the strength and the incredible power of those moments. And I want the people who visit my hotel to have a chance to experience those moments for themselves.”

The French Taunter.

First nighters at The Grail Theater included Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Kevin Nealon, Ben Vereen, Eddie Izzard, and Mike Nichols, accompanied by his elegant wife, anchorwoman Diane Sawyer, Slash, Geena Davis, Robert Goulet, George Harrison’s widow Olivia and son Dhani, Dave Stewart, best known for his work with the Eurythmics, and Gail Zappa, Frank’s widow along with two of their children, Ahmet and Diva.

The newly renovated 1506 seat Grail Theater is extremely comfortable with excellent sight lines and acoustics. Theatre competition is fierce, however ticket prices are reasonable, and if you like to laugh, Spamalot is an excellent choice.

Performances are: Monday at 8 p.m., Tuesday at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., Wednesday at 8 p.m., Thursday is dark. Friday and Saturday 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., and Sunday 8 p.m. Tickets range in price from $49 to $99. To reserve tickets for Spamalot at Wynn Las Vegas call: 888/320-7110 or locally, 702/770-WYNN. Online go to www.montypythonsspamalot.com or www.wynnlasvegas.com. Groups of 10 or more may contact 702/770-3720 or showsales@wynnlasvegas.com

To book all Vegas shows click here.

The fabeled finale to a night of fun theatre.

— Feature by Linda Lane, Las Vegas Magazine Theatre Editor; photos courtesy of Spamalot.

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