Humour’s Holy Grail on stage soon
Monty Python's Spamalot is described by its writers as the hit musical lovingly ripped off from the 1975 movie Monty Python And The Holy Grail.
From left: Bongi Mthombeni (Patsy), Clive Gilson (Sir Galahad), Norman Anstey (King Arthur), Liam J Stratton (Sir Bedevere), Grant Towers (Sir Robin) and LJ Urbani (Sir Lancelot) star in ‘Spamalot.’ Picture: Jo Spies
And Python fans across the globe will not be disappointed – iconoclastic lines from the movie return regularly in this 2005 Tony Award-winning Best Musical on Broadway.
Partly an irreverent parody of the Camelot legend of King Arthur and his knights, the musical has another quest – bringing King Arthur and his entourage to the enchanted land called The Great White Way. It features a bevy of show girls, not to mention cows, killer rabbits, witch-burnings, shrubbery and French people.
The South African premiere of Spamalot, produced by Bernard Jay for Joburg Theatre and directed and designed by Simon James, has now been cast.
Michelle Botha plays the Lady of the Lake and Norman Anstey is King Arthur in Spamalot. Picture: Jo Spies
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.
The role of Lady of the Lake has been awarded to Michelle Botha. The Knights include Grant Towers as Sir Robin, LJ Urbani as Sir Lancelot, Clive Gilson as Sir Dennis Galahad, Liam J Stratton as Sir Bedevere, and Adrian Poulsen as Prince Herbert.
This new production of Spamalot opens at The Mandela at Joburg Theatre on July 11 and runs until August 10.
Ticket prices range from R180 to R300 are on sale via joburgtheatre.com or 0861-670-670.
