When you’re feeling in the dumps— don’t be silly chumps! Just purse your lips and whistle— for a ride to Columbia where you can see the phenomenally funny Monty Python’s Spamalot at Toby’s Dinner Theatre. Directed and Choreographed by Mark Minnick with Musical Direction by Ross Scott Rawlings, this beaming burst of sunshine is enough to brighten anyone’s day with its comedic antics, feel-good foolishness, vibrant singing, and energetic dancing.
Not a Monty Python fan? Fear not! This show has something for everyone; the beauty of this hilarious romp is that it’s accessible to all, be you a musical theatre fan, a Monty Python fan, both or neither, or even just someone looking to get out of the house and have an enjoyable evening away from home. The story in nutshell? God, the almighty and all-knowing, has misplaced a fancy cup and has tasked Arthur, King of the Britains along with his ragamuffin band of merry men— the Knights of the Round Table— to go on a show-consuming quest to find it. Cue the comedy, the hilarity, the singing— and of course— the dancing!!!
Resident Scenic and Lighting Designers David A. Hopkins and Lynn Joslin have pulled out all the stops when it comes to dressing up the stage and putting it in the limelight for Spamalot. The show has a fun and campy nature, which lends itself to whimsy and silliness, particularly in some of the festooning featured on the set. There’s a reference once or twice to “a very dark and expensive looking forest” and this is achieved with winch-propelled green shimmer curtains, which are laced with gold coins and bright yellow twinkle lights. It’s clever and very tongue-in-cheek. Joslin’s lighting design shines perpetually throughout the production. There’s Aurora Borealis mood-lighting in rich purples, greens, and blues for “The Song That Goes Like This” and flashy hot reds, yellows, pinks, and oranges for the big bust-out “His Name is Lancelot” number. Joslin’s understanding of how to through an illuminating party in a way that enhances each of these musical moments is stellar. Her keen understanding of how to effectively light the unique ‘in-the-round’ space for maximum scenic success is also worth praising.
What’s a great big Broadway style show without flashy, fun costumes? Costume Coordinators Janine Sunday and Marianne VanStee have kitted out the knights in tunics and ‘chainmail’ and all the middle-age finery there is to be had for this performance. But the real sparkling gems of the production are the multitude of costumes featured on the ensemble performers, particularly the sparkly and spangly numbers worn by the girls in the “Knight of the Round Table” number. Every glimmering, glistening dress featured on the Lady of the Lake glows with a radiance befitting of the performer’s personality. And the ensemble dance outfits featured in “His Name is Lancelot” are flashy beyond compare. Sunday and VanStee do a spectacular job of crafting a high-quality aesthetic for this production; everything from dozens of wigs and detachable costume tricks to bloody swords, sophisticated headdresses, and everything in-between.
Comedic timing is everything when it comes to a show like Monty Python’s Spamalot. Director and Choreographer Mark Minnick executes precision when it comes to the show’s canon of jokes, overall comedic delivery, and rapid-fire timing. The show gallops along, much like the horse-pattered coconuts, keeping the audience in stitches with silly scene after silly scene, laugh after laugh, joyous moment after joyous moment. Minnick has assembled a spectacular cast to fill out the roles of both principal characters and supporting ensemble. His vast understanding of the show is well reflected in the audience’s enjoyment of the performance as there is non-stop cheering, shouting, and laughing from start to finish.
There’s a great amount of dancing included in Spamalot and Minnick brings energetic routines to each of the musical numbers, giving the ensemble a chance to truly shine, particularly in numbers like “Knights of the Round Table” and “His Name Is Lancelot.” The organized fleeing chaos of “Run Away” is equal parts deft choreography and comic calamity as the show ramrods its way into the intermission. Everything from the catchy tap routine featured in “Always Look On The Bright Side of Life” to the varied homage dances during a big musical interlude break which feature the knights showcasing all sorts of styles, including a direct nod to the recently re-popularized West Side Story. Minnick’s choreography is clean, well-suited for the space, and full of animation, which is the perfect match for this zany, fun show.
Musical Director Ross Scott Rawlings brings the talented cast together in harmonious blends that are just joyful to the ear. When the knights and King Arthur are singing “All For One!” it is a mellifluous burble of smooth sounding glee that wafts its way to the ear, which creates a sense of giddy camaraderie in these knights as they first set out on their quest. Rawlings evokes powerful sounds from the full-cast numbers, showcasing the strength of the ensemble (Brandon Bedore, MaryKate Brouillet, Quadry Brown, Amanda Kaplan, Alexis Krey, Shane Lowry, Ariel Messeca, Patricia “Pep” Targete) at every opportunity. The music is well-paced, moving at a speed that suits. Notable standouts in the ensemble include Ariel Messeca, who can be seen dancing his best life during “Knights of The Round Table/The Song That Goes Like This (Reprise)” where he plays the lithe and limber monk spinning the Flying Nun (David James) around in a series of hilarious routines. Other noteworthy ensemble members include (at this performance) Brook Urquhart, whose indefatigable smile radiates joy every dance step he takes. Urquhart’s infectious glee has the audience squealing with delight, particularly during the hand-high-shuffle routine during the big finale.
Multi-talented, taking up the underrated role of Sir Bedevere and others, Shawn Kettering brings a well-seasoned humor to these various roles. While the Knight Sir Bedevere was doltish humors about him, Kettering is a hysterical sensation as Lancelot’s horse, Concord. His comedic timing in that scene is spot on and his dramatic exit from that scene is a real scream. Sneaking in under the radar as another humorous element in the show, Shane Lowry does a fine job of posing as the intimidating Sir Bohrs, he keeps his calm (he’d never lose his head after all) in a fashion most humorous when it comes to tackling the perilous dangerous in the scene with Tim the Enchanter.
Bravely bold Sir Robin (Jeffrey Shankle) rode forth— and ran away. Shankle finds a whole host of humors in this cowardice character, but quickly busts out and belts into his own when it comes to the big show-stopping number “You Won’t Succeed On Broadway.” You get a great taste of Shankle’s vocal capabilities as well as his dancing skills in this song, really bringing a fun life to the Sir Robin character. Watch him when he doubles up as Prince Herbert’s numpty guard and the vocally affected Brother Maynard. Shankle’s antics in both these characters will have you giggling all night long.
His name is Lancelot (Adam Grabau); he likes to dance a lot! And dance a lot he does. Adam Grabau brings a virulent radiance to his portrayal of the brutish, brassy-turned-sassy knight. Grabau has wide-range of accents all put to excellent use throughout the performance, with the working-class-machismo sound reserved for Lancelot and an outrageous French one featured on ‘The French Taunter.’ There’s even a thick roguish brogue used for Tim the Enchanter and something hilariously squeaky for King Ni! Grabau is a true triple threat with a robust singing voice, fantastical comic timing— particularly in the role of the French Taunter— and fleet of foot, especially when it comes to dancing his way through his breakout number, “His Name is Lancelot.” Charming and fitting into the roles as if they were tailored to him, Grabau gives an unforgettable performance for every character, every time he’s in a scene.
With no fewer than a dozen costume changes, Toby’s all-round resident character man, David James, is literally— the show’s character man, taking up the roles of The Historian, Not Dead Fred, The Flying Nun, a French Guard, a singing Minstrel, Prince Herbert, a leaping frog, and probably more. With inexhaustible energy that reads sublimely into his character’s physical activities— whether it’s leap-hopping his way through the Laker Girls’ cheer or flopping and flapping about as Not Dead Fred during “I Am Not Dead Yet”— James steals bunches of scenes with his comic brilliance. Whether he’s singing about Brace Sir Robin, merrily banging his tambourine as he perfectly articulates all of the horrific ways the character might die or he’s trilling away in falsetto as Prince Herbert, there appears to be joke too funny for James’ impeccable deliveries. Much like Grabau, with whom he shares some hilarious scenes, he’s a true triple threat. You’ll go dizzy just trying to keep up with all his dance steps, particularly in “I Am Not Dead Yet.”
With warmed, buttery vocals, Sir Denis Galahad (Justin Calhoun) is the perfect match for singing the obnoxiously hilarious love duet that gets plugged into the first act of the show. Calhoun brings his songbird voice to the table for “The Song That Goes Like This”, a lampooning love song with The Lady of the Lake. Gifted with the good graces of comic timing and well-divided accents, Calhoun slips magically from the ‘working class crass’ sound of Denis before knighthood into the posh, proper-tongued Galahad without missing a beat. Keep an eye out for Calhoun in the iconic ‘Black Knight’ fight scene, a ‘duel’ of sorts between this Monty Python-canon character and King Arthur himself. It’s hilarious and showcases Calhoun’s physical comedic capabilities as well as his well-honed timing and delivery.
Speaking of the King— Arthur King of the Britains (at this performance, Jordan Stocksdale) is the leader of the pack. With his trusty sidekick Patsy (at this performance Quadry Brown) at his side, the pair are unstoppable. Quadry Brown, as the working-class servant, and coconut-horse to the King, is a delight in the role. With a sweet and smooth voice that brings hope and cheer to “Always Look on The Bright Side of Life”, you can’t help but grin when he starts to sing. And his deadpan facial expressions during “I’m All Alone”, another duet shared with The King are simply priceless. As King, Jordan Stocksdale finds the perfect balance between camp and chaos, playing the comedy honestly and letting it unfold with a natural zeal all around him. He brings a genuine joviality to the role, letting the audience experience the character’s slight stupidity with laugh after laugh. With a heart and robust voice, Stocksdale is a great vocal addition to every number he sings, particularly the ones where he leads the knights in song. Stocksdale and Brown make an excellent team; the pair understand the nuances of the show’s timing and the character’s relationships, making for an excellent portrayal from both actors.
Taking the show and making it hers in her own right, Janine Sunday wears the crown of queen of the divas, The Lady of the Lake with divine righteousness. With the iconic bar set high by Broadway’s Sara Ramirez, Sunday surpasses expectations in the role and just goes to town when embodying The Lady of the Lake. Like Stocksdale’s Arthur, Sunday achieves a sensational balance between the campy kitschy nature of the show and the sincerity of the character. With an operatic soprano option at the end of the iconic number “The Diva’s Lament”, Sunday thunders through that number with all the panache of a diva sorely abused and it’s epic. Sharing duets with both Arthur and Galahad, Sunday puts her vocal prowess on display proudly, delivering harmonies and melodies that carry both renditions of “The Song That Goes Like This” sublimely. When she diva-scats her way through the rolling montage of “The Knights of Camelot/The Song That Goes Like This (Reprise)” Sunday has the audience eating out of her palm and loving every minute of her sparkling personality in this role.
To horse! Or motor car! Or however it is you get to the theatre these days! Spamalot will have you laughing your brains out, cheering with glee, jumping for joy, and thoroughly enjoying the wonders that it brings to the stage. It isn’t often that a comedic musical can truly transport you for two and a half hours away from all the perils and troubles and turmoil of the real world, but Toby’s Spamalot does exactly that and you won’t want to miss it.
Running Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission
Spamalot plays through March 20, 2022 at Toby’s the Dinner Theatre of Columbia— 5900 Symphony Woods Road in Columbia, MD. For tickets please call (410) 730-8311 or purchase them online.
The post Spamalot at Toby’s Dinner Theatre appeared first on TheatreBloom.
