In
the topsy-turvy world of Broadway, the latest hit musical is one
inspired by the lunacy of Britain's very own Monty Python.
Spamalot
is the biggest, and most improbably funny, smash hit in town.
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Python
Eric Idle has written the book and lyrics for the stage musical
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"Lovingly
ripped off", in the words of the show's poster, from the 1975
film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, it has been adapted
by original Python Eric Idle, who has written the book and lyrics
and co-written the music with John Du Prez.
Full
endorsement and support has come from the surviving Pythons, all
of whom were on hand at the Broadway first night, and one of whom,
John Cleese, is additionally to be heard in the show as the voice
of God.
While
Idle has commented that the lawyers' fees to draw up the contracts
for the stage musical have exceeded the entire budget of the original
film, the money is also flowing back into the pot very quickly.
much
loved scenes
With
a reported budget of some $11million, the show's advance ticket
sale now stands at over $25million 聳 with over $2million of
that taken on the single day that followed the show's opening night.
"Audiences
lucky enough to get tickets are treated to a sensationally silly
cartoon strip of a show..." Mark
Shenton |
A further
$500,000 is being taken daily for tickets that are currently on
sale to January 8, 2006, with no availability now before July.
Audiences
lucky enough to get tickets are treated to a sensationally silly
cartoon strip of a show that joyfully replays all the much loved
scenes from the cult comedy, including 'Bring Out Your Dead' and
the Knight who keeps on fighting, even as he loses his arms, legs
and finally his head.
And
sophisticated New Yorkers are losing their heads over it, too. It
may all be instantly forgettable, but who notices when you're laughing
so hard?
strong
English signature
The
Holy Grail 聳 which turns here into a pursuit to create a hit
Broadway musical 聳 is triumphantly achieved and performed to
giddily irreverent perfection by a cast led by Tim Curry as King
Arthur, David Hyde Pierce as Sir Robin and Hank Azaria as a rather
gay Sir Lancelot.
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Chitty
Chitty Bang Bang has taken flight over Broadway
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While
Spamalot cheerfully wears its English heart on its sleeve
(and will surely be heading home soon to brighten up the West End),
London's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has just taken flight over
Broadway, too, continuing a pervasive influence of all things British.
There's
also a strong English signature to new productions of American classics
like Albee's Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (currently being
revived in a hit production with Kathleen Turner, under the direction
of Brit Anthony Page).
And
a pair of Tennessee Williams' plays, A Streetcar Named Desire
(starring Natasha Richardson and directed by Edward Hall) and the
just opened The Glass Menagerie, with Jessica Lange and Christian
Slater starring under the direction of David Leveaux.
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