Spamalot

Last night was the night we'd been waiting for all fall: the night we had tickets to Spamalot. We'd bought our tickets as soon as they went on sale last summer, and we'd splurged on really good seats because we'd been waiting for Spamalot to tour since they'd announced they were turning Monty Python into a Broadway show. We've been singing the songs for a couple years now, and we could hardly wait to see how the show would be staged.

After the show, we're left with mixed feelings. We both enjoyed the sets, from the Vegas-like Camelot to the Andrew Lloyd Webber-esque lake from which the Lady of the Lake emerges. We agree that it was a lot of fun to hear the songs sung live, and to see the dancing that is supposed to go along with them. Several of the performances were outstanding. My personal favorites were Patsy, The Lady of the Lake, and Sir Robin. Lancelot's performance was also notable. We also thought it was great fun how much of the original dialogue from the "Grail" they'd incorporated into the show. We were able to mouth the words for much of the show just because we've both seen the movie so many times. The French knights and their taunting were very silly, and we were impressed that they managed to get the cow gag in. Another plus to the show is the way they managed to add in things I wasn't sure they'd be able to do, such as the dismemberment of the Black Knight. The bit I think I laughed the hardest at would have to be the killer bunny. Again, I didn't know if they'd be able to get it in, but they did, and in such an imaginative manner that it's still making me giggle to think about it now.

On the more negative side of things, I think the biggest disappointment was that the actor playing Arthur was a real dud. He was lackluster from the beginning, and seemed to be wandering around the stage without any enthusiasm, just waiting for his next line, then delivering the line with little emphasis. Then, in the first number of the second act, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," he botched a very important line, and if you didn't know what the line was supposed to be, the rest of the song wouldn't have made any sense. Yup--he forgot a line! It screwed up the background dancers/singers so much that one of them fell over.

Another problem with the show was that the sound system seemed to be screwed up. The sound was tinny through the whole show, sounding more like a recording than a live performance. We've heard much better sound in that theater, so we're wondering if maybe paying for expensive seats isn't really worth it. Perhaps the theater is built so that the better sounds go to the higher regions. Or maybe the guy running the sound wasn't doing a good job last night. Hard to tell.

Finally, let me say a few words about theater etiquette: there ought to be some sort of class people are required to take before they attend live theater. Live theater is not like a movie, where you only paid $9.00 for your ticket, and there's squished popcorn and spilled soda underfoot, and you can wear what you feel like wearing. It is a formal occasion, and people should dress accordingly. It is not okay to wear jeans, flannel, short shorts (or any kind of shorts), or grubby tennis shoes. When I pay $80 for my seat, I find it offensive to be seated next to some flannel and jeans wearing oaf who would look more at home at a Saturday afternoon barbeque. And for the record, it is definitely not okay to take out a cell phone before the show and take pictures of the stage. How tacky!

Next etiquette point: even if you've seen the Grail a thousand times, it is NOT okay to spend the entire show whispering the lines to the person next to you and explaining the jokes. I don't care if the person next to you is a complete moron, someone who can't possibly understand the jokes without your help. Keep your mouth shut, because some of us would rather hear the professional actors perform the lines than some random person who thinks he's smart. That is just as annoying as the person who goes to a musical and sings along. The guy sitting next to me last night talked through all the speaking bits, but apparently he hadn't heard the songs, so at least he didn't sing along. Still, I wanted to gag him by intermission.

Point three: Remember that you are not the only person in the theater. Find a comfortable position and hold it for as long as you can. The woman in front of me wiggled so much that at times I really couldn't see the stage because I couldn't figure out which direction to dodge. The oaf sitting next to me elbowed me in the side a number of times. The woman sitting behind me managed to catch my hair as she wildly applauded (goodness knows how far her hands had to be in front of her for her to manage that).

Final point: a standing ovation is supposed to be for a stellar performance. Last night's performance was certainly not a stellar performance. It was good. It was enjoyable. It didn't deserve an ovation. The lead actor forgot his lines, for goodness sake! Applaud, sure, but don't stand unless it's actually an outstanding show. I always end up standing out of self defense--it's the only way to see the actors take their bows. People seem to think it's polite to give a standing ovation, but in reality not every show deserves one. What will we do for a show that's actually worthy of an ovation? Stand on our chairs? Ridiculous!

And I think I'm done with my rant now. I actually did enjoy the show very much, and I'd recommend that anyone who likes Monty Python go to see it when it's in your city.