The Newcastle Musical Theatre Company (NMTC) bring the Monty Python musical to the Theatre Royal this week. Complete with live band and talented cast, writer Eric Idle’s humour permeates through both the script and the lyrics. This is one comedy that easily passes the 6 laugh test. The NETG team are fans of Spamalot. We’ve seen both professional and amateur productions of this show and found that it is one show in which there is a much smaller gap. Indeed, this NMTC production works really well as the cast understand the timing and delivery of the comedy.The musical is based upon the 1975 Monty Python movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. King Arthur (Charles Doherty) is King of England and he wants to recruit a group of Knights for his Round Table. He is accompanied on his travels by his servant Patsy (Stuart Liddle), who bangs a couple of coconut shells to make a sound of a horse... The tale then follows some of the interactions found in the Holy Grail movie coupled with some mad Python musical moments – largely involving the French, the Lady of the Lake, the Knights of Ni and a scary bunny.The cast, under director Bea Atkinson, release the humour in the situation without over doing it. The timings of the punch lines worked well even if they result in a sharp intake of breath as 2019 morality isn’t always compatible with comedy that originated in the 1970s. The dance routines have the flamboyance of a pre-war musical Hollywood film. Choreographer Sandra Laidler got the whole ensemble moving around the stage with colour and a touch of pizazz. Backing the beat was a large live band under musical director Malcolm Moffat. There were a few first night nerves but no more than we’ve witnessed in other big productions. The butterflies did not stop us enjoying the musical and the comedy that underpins it.Charles Doherty comfortably commands as King Arthur which is essential for the show to work. Likewise Stuart Liddle completes the double act with a Patsy that complements the King’s authority. The assorted knights of the round table add to the tapestry that the show weaves. Some of the big production numbers land on the role of the Lady of the Lake and JoJo Hatfield comfortably handles the power and the range of each number. She too understands the timing needed for the comedy to work its magic. Supporting the comedy, mention must also go to Dan Greener and Gawen Robinson whom each had a number of roles and managed to come across differently in each one. They were a source of a number of laughs through the show. We laughed, we sang (Always Look on the Bright Side of Life) and we enjoyed our night at the theatre. The cast worked hard – it must have been crazy backstage with some of the costume changes – and delivered a classic slice of Python fun.
- Stephen Oliver
