Review: The Holy Grail of Musical Comedy

Courtesy of the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

It seemed only right that the entire audience was singing along to “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” at the final curtain call. Entering the theater for “Monty Python’s Spamalot” at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, you generally fall into one of two camps: You either are a die-hard Monty Python fan—or you are not. Well, I arrived at the theater firmly in the “not-so-much” column and left humming the tunes all the way to my car. Lovingly ripped off from the 1975 cult classic film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” this irreverent musical masterpiece originally conquered Broadway in 2005. With a book and lyrics by Python alumnus Eric Idle and music by Idle and John Du Prez, the original production clinched 14 Tony nominations and walked away with three wins, including the coveted Best Musical.

For the uninitiated, the plot loosely follows King Arthur as he scrambles across a highly ridiculous version of Europe to assemble his Knights of the Round Table, all under a divine directive to find the Holy Grail. The momentum truly picks up when Arthur recruits Sir Galahad, played by Leo Roberts. Roberts delivers the total package: undeniable leading-man charm, a booming, glorious voice, and a wig of curls so magnificent it deserves its own equity card. Galahad soon falls under the spell of the Lady of the Lake, a diva of mythological proportions portrayed by Amanda Robles. Possessing a stratospheric range and impeccable comedic timing, Robles has one of the best voices to come through the Twin Cities in years. I had to fight the urge to leap out of my seat after her standout solo in “Knights of the Round Table,” where she is unleashed to belt, riff, and chew the scenery with glorious, diva-drenched abandon.

This tireless cast pulls double and triple duty—half the fun of the evening is simply sorting out which actor is playing which character from song to song. Steven Telsey turns in delightfully memorable, chameleonic performances as both the locked-away Prince Herbert and the operator of the sweetest, deadliest bunny puppet in theatrical history. (If you know, you know.)

However, as our fearless leader, King Arthur, Major Attaway never quite finds his footing. While he handles the vocals with wit and charm, the regal authority and comedic bravado the role begs for are missing. It frequently feels as though the entire show is happening around him, rather than with him leading the charge. Fortunately, the hyper-talented ensemble and supporting cast pick up the slack, ensuring every slick production number lands with maximum comedic punch.

Visually, this tour is an absolute feast. The set design features the most intelligent and effective use of digital projections from a touring production that I’ve seen recently, transporting us through the Middle Ages with all the campy, cartoonish flair of the original Monty Python animations. Jen Caprio’s costumes look like a fever-dream collision of classic Las Vegas glitz and a “RuPaul’s Drag Race” finale. The fashion highlights are easily the Lady of the Lake’s ever-shifting, glamorous wardrobe and Sir Lancelot’s glittering “coming out” reveal.

Having seen various iterations of this show over the years, I was genuinely worried the humor would feel dated. Instead, this production steps it up with bold design choices and even bolder, updated pop-culture references that keep the satire razor sharp. (Yes, they confidently go there with everyone from Taylor Swift to George Santos.) Do not miss this limited run through Sunday. If you are a Monty Python fan, you will absolutely adore this show; and if you are not, you will leave a convert.

“Spamalot” plays at the Ordway through June 14. Tickets at ordway.org.