Photo by Mort Shuman
Review submitted by Leslie Robinson of Severna Park
Picture yourself in a “dark and very expensive forest.” Add in medieval knights, legendary heroes, and acrobatic cheerleaders. Spice it up with wooden rabbits, puppets and tap dancers and what do you get? If you’re lucky, you get South Carroll High School’s “Spamalot,” an incredible spectacle to behold.
Taking inspiration from the iconic British farce “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” Eric Idle’s Tony Award-winning “Spamalot” expertly weaved song and dance into perfectly delightful chaos. In this twist on the Arthurian legend, King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table meet a multitude of zany and dramatic characters as they quest through medieval England for the prized Holy Grail. Bursting with pop culture humor and a complete disregard for the fourth wall, this is a must-see for all!
Sassily stealing the show as the vivacious diva, the Lady of the Lake, Gwen Lillycrop was unforgettable, radiantly demanding “Whatever Happened to My Part?” Her simultaneously hysterical and melodic duet with Sir Galahad (talented tenor Nic Culkin) kept the audience in stitches throughout “The Song That Goes Like This.” Leading his bumbling knights with equal parts parental frustration and humor, Tristan Gregor personified the put upon King Arthur with a smooth baritone and consistent acting, making it his own.
However, the noble King would be hopeless without his loyal yet underappreciated manservant Patsy, played admirably by Andrew Dueppen. His shy, loveable character was perfect for bringing smiles to the audience’s faces in his song “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” Brave and slightly homicidal, Ethan Hobbs played Sir Lancelot with thoughtful mannerisms and the necessary confidence. Larger than life antics in “His Name is Lancelot” follow his hilarious rescue of Christian Ryder as the hapless Herbert.
Sparkling with modern-day culture, The Laker Girls brought energy and pizazz to the stage in numbers such as “The Laker Girls.” As the main dance ensemble, they demonstrated skill in a multitude of fields, even tap! From playing Finns to Frenchmen to Knights Who Say Ni, the ensemble demonstrated a rare versatility that was instrumental in advancing both the plot and the light-hearted spirit of the show.
Stage Managers Sarah Taylor and Alli Hilderbrand executed their jobs brilliantly, displaying hard work and true precision. Countless diverse, vibrant costumes modeled after the looks from the hit Broadway production were imaginatively created by Alexa Kuykendall, Ari Krach and Miranda Russo with many standout costumes for the Lady of the Lake and her Laker Girls. Even costumed was the excellent SCHS Pit Orchestra whose energetic spirit radiated throughout the diverse score.
South Carroll High School perfectly captured the irreverence of the distinctive Monty Python humor, beloved by generations of movie and theatergoers worldwide. Keeping the audience on the edge of their seats with belly laughs, tapping toes and catchy tunes, the talented cast and crew left a lasting inspirational message on the audience to find their own personal “Grail.”
The performance reviewed was from Saturday, 02/08/2020.
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