| 11/14/2007 |
THE SONG THAT GOES LIKE THIS
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Mark and I recently took in a performance of Spamalot. I was looking forward to seeing it. I've been a long time fan of Monty Python movies and the BBC series. While I am a music fan, Mark is the musical fan. He has exposed me to a lot of shows and music related to them. One song I was really looking forward to hearing was The Diva's Lament, a song that I heard sung by Sara Ramirez (currently of Grey's Anatomy fame). I was not disappointed. In The Lady Of The Lake's performance that is. She was probably the best thing about the show.
Right before the show I heard from someone who had also been to Spamalot. He informed me there were a LOT of Monty Python movie reference. Now while I am a fan, it's been a while since I've seen any of the movies. Overall I don't think my familiarity (or lack of) really was an issue. Tho it was clear to us that virtually everyone else in the audience watch The Holy Grail moments before showtime.
So what did I think? It was good. I enjoyed myself a lot. Our seats were decent tho we were high enough up that my ADD kept watching the stagehands and performers preparing to go on as the got into place behind various set pieces. I was surprised how many references from various Monty Python movies there were. And they fit in seamlessly. If this was the only Monty Python exposure that you had you wouldn't know the difference.
The lead character of King Arthur was once played by Tim Curry. The guy who played Arthur in this performance was channeling Tim Curry. Which... can be good or bad. I kind of wish he'd put his own spin on it, rather than try and be someone.
Prior to the show, Mark and I watched a program where various performers talked about big budget, heavily produced shows vs. small cast, small set shows. Various stars talked about how one was good and the other bad. They took up positions on both sides. This played out interestingly when you think about the last couple of shows we'd watched.
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was small cast and pretty minimal set-up when you compare it to the elaborate sets of Spamalot. Spamalot, rightfully so, comes off like a Vegas stage show. It's supposed to be over the top. It's supposed to be wild and oturageous. What happened, strangely enough, is that I left not really feeling like I did know any of the characters. You could make the argument that you're not supposed to 'know' the characters on a personal level. You're supposed to laugh and have a good time. And I did! So the show succeeded. I can see how these type of shows are polarizing. You might end up in one camp or the other. I would think that a show that could have big production value and let you walk away with a feeling of personal knowledge of the characters would be a big hit across the board.
The show definitely made me want to watch my Monty Python movies again. Meaning Of Life, here I come!Labels: musicals |
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I posted this @ 11/14/2007 04:39:00 PM.............Need a link?..........
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