Monty Python’s Spamalot

Always look on the Bright side of life, with  Spamalot.

In another coup for Joburg Theatre, Executive Producer Bernard Jay is thrilled to announce the South African Premier production of one of the funniest musicals of all time, Monty Python’s Spamalot. 

Monty Python’s Spamalot is officially described by its writers as the hit musical lovingly ripped off from the 1975 movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail.  Monty Python’s huge legions of fans across the globe will not be disappointed as familiar, legendarily iconoclastic lines from the movie return regularly in the 2005 Tony Award winning Best Musical on Broadway.

Part a parody of the Camelot legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table on their quest for the Holy Grail, comes part this silly new Musical, with another quest – that of bringing King Arthur and his entourage to the enchanted land called The Great White War; and part the tongue-in-the-cheek Broadway Musical itself, featuring a bevy of beautiful show girls, not to mention cows, killer rabbits, witch-burning shrubberies and French people, Spamalot never fails to entertain those “who value the virtues of shrewd idiocy, artful tackiness and wide-eyed impiety”

Critical reaction over its nine-year history, in fact, has rightly earned Monty Python’s Spamalot the bold title of the Funniest Musical Ever, and now on a South African Stage.

The South African premiere of Spamalot, produced by the Joburg Theatre and directed by Simon James, has now been fully cast.  Almost fully actually, because the actor for the role of Sir-Not-Appearing-in-the-Show has not yet been decided upon.

King Arthur, the King of England who sets out on the quest to form the Knights of the Round Table and finds the Holy Grail, will be played by Norman Anstey.  This Joburg born actor and voice artist, is perhaps best remembered for his role of Saer in Castrol’s Can-o-the-Best TV Commercials, which were seen on the Small Screen from 1988 to 2003.  He can currently be seen as Joe in the TV Soap, Scandal.  Anstey’s most recent stage musical appearances include the lead roles in Evita, The King & I, Footloose ,and Ons vir Jou.

The much-coveted role of the Lady of the Lake and most certainly the leading lady of the show, has been awarded to Michelle Botha.  Botha says she has been an actress and singer since she can remember, but she actually received her Honours cum Laude in drama from the University of Pretoria in 1998.  Since then, Botha has been seen on television, including a role as Susan in 7deLlaan, and in the stage musicals Aspects of Love, Jock of the Bushveld and the Joburg Theatre’s Pantomime, Aladdin.

Returning to Joburg Theatre in the role of Patsy, King Arthur’s underappreciated horse and servant, is 2010 Idols Finalist, and recently a prominent Panto Character, Bongi Mthombeni .  The coup immediately earned him the role of Prince Charming in Cinderella, followed by the principal-boy role of Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk.  This was followed by the surprise casting of Bongi as “the Old Man on Roller Skates” Poppa McCoy, in the Joburg Theatre’s Production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express.  Later this year, Bongi will be appearing in his 4th lead role in a Joburg Theatre Pantomime, when he will be performing as Mr Smee in Peter Pan. 

Also in the all South African Company on Stage, will be Grant Towers as Sir Robin, ironically called Sir Roan the Brave; LJ Urbani as Sir Lancelot, fearless to a bloody fault but, through a twist of fate, discovers his “softer Side”; Clive Gilsone as Sir Dennis Galahad, Liam J Stratton as Sir Bedevere and Adrian Paulsen as Prince Herbert, will add to the cast line up.

Joining these actors in playing everybody else, will be Cameron Botha, Kent Jeycocke, Natasha van der Merwe, Maryanne van Eyssen, Michale Riff Themba, Samuel Hyde and Caitlin K.

Under direction and designs of Simon James, Timothy le Roux will be the choreographer, with Roelof Colyn as the Musical Director.  The lighting will be designed by Enos Ramoroko and the sound design will be done by Trevor Peters.

Monty Python’s Spamalot has book and lyrics by Eric Idle and the music was composed by John du Prez and Idle himself, based on the original screenplay by Graham Chapman, john Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin.

This brand new production that should not be missed if you are one to go see all major stage productions only to weigh them  up against each other, will open  in Johannesburg this Winter.

 

Show Information

Monty Python’s Spamalot

The Mandela Stage at the Joburg Theatre

From 11 July 2014 until 10 August 2014

Tickets are from R180 to R300, available from www.joburgtheatre.com of 0861 670 670.

So Always look on the Bright Side of Life, because with compliments of the Joburg Theatre, Stage and Screen is giving away a few tickets to this Production of Monty Python’s Spamalot.