The Stage

Curtain Up - Holy Grail comes home with Spamalot

Published Tuesday 10 October 2006 at 14:20 by Alistair Smith

Next week represents something of a homecoming for Monty Python musical Spamalot, a show which, despite its British pedigree, began life in the US.

Two of its Broadway cast remain. Tim Curry returns to the West End after more than 20 years away, playing King Arthur, while US actor Chris Sieber makes his UK debut as Galahad.

“The show is pretty much what we had on Broadway,” Sieber told The Stage. “In one song the words have been changed from ‘Broadway’ to ‘showbiz’ but that’s about it. And Tim and I have had to adjust to the new company. We’ve had a lot to learn from this fantastic new cast.”

While its opening night is not until next week, the show has been previewing since the beginning of the month and the actor is confident that the musical, which is adapted from the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, will be as popular here as it was in the US.

“The audiences have been better than they have ever been,” continued Sieber. “I think because it’s British humour. I think in the States they were laughing at it because it was Monty Python and they thought ‘Oh, don’t they talk funny’ but I think here the audiences appreciate it more. We had a lot of Monty Python fans in for the first night.”

While in New York, the show managed to attract a diverse following, including some groups less traditionally found on the Great White Way, such as ‘frat boys’ - university-age males, who would more usually be seen at sports events.

“Broadway is normally more women and children,” Sieber explained. “Straight guys going to the theatre together is almost unheard of but we had guys - frat boys - coming in large groups.”

Now in the UK, Sieber hopes the show will attract a similar mix of people. “I think the audiences here are quite surprised that they’re laughing so much,” he said. “We’re getting laughs during the first fifteen lines of the overture… They’re such well-known characters because of the movie - people applaud when you come on because there’s that recognition.

“Monty Python is definitely coming home. Eric [Idle] is so excited to be here. I think he might even be a bit nervous. All the Pythons [with the exception of the late Graham Chapman] are coming to the opening night.”

• Monty Python’s Spamalot opens on October 17, following press night on October 16.