"Spamalot"
Fisher Theatre
Detroit, Mich.
Through Saturday
“There were a lot of the same jokes I heard back in 1975.”
That’s one review from a man leaving “Spamalot” at the Fisher Theatre, a delayed opening night of sorts after the touring company got delayed in this current batch of bizarro weather weaving its way across the United States.
Here’s the thing -- that’s not a bad review from a disgruntled patron. That’s a glowing review. “Spamalot” is the fourth wall breaking Broadway adaptation of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” And the jokes still work decades later, even with contemporary adjustments to bring in pop culture references pulled straight from meme culture on the internet.
This was my third time seeing this production,and this was the best version of it I’ve seen, even though it was also the most stripped-down production of it. That massive LED screen rotating through sets and backgrounds instead of rotating actual sets was doing some HEAVY lifting. It’s the economic realities of taking these big shows on the road and trying to pinch a penny.
Most of the time, cutting those corners can result in a show that’s simply not worth it. The source material and original writing, however, have stood the test of time. It’s one of the reasons this is a massively mixed age crowd, from those who remember the original movie and can still quote it to a new generation who are seeing it with fresh eyes.
I found myself laughing out loud like I was watching it for the first time, asserting “Spamalot” at the Fisher Theatre as a must-see show before it skips town.
Click here to read a previous review of the show by Erica Hobbes.
