SPAMALOT debuts on Broadway

[ghost of miles]

'Spamalot' Debuts to Broadway Laughter

NEW YORK - Thirty years after the British comedy troupe Monty Python began tickling funny bones on both sides of the Atlantic, the Broadway debut of "Monty Python's Spamalot" Thursday night proved fans are still chuckling.

"It's just the absurdity — and the intelligence," said Mary Mullin, 50, a longtime fan who watched celebrities arrive for the premier outside the Shubert Theater.

The musical, which debuted in Chicago in December and stars Tim Curry (news), David Hyde Pierce and Hank Azaria (news), is a stage adaptation of the 1975 film "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."

Director Mike Nichols and his wife, Diane Sawyer, said outside the theater they expected a good opening night.

"It's ready," Nichols told Associated Press Television News. "Everybody in it is sweet and good, and it's a very fine company."

Also on hand was original Python member Eric Idle, who wrote the story and lyrics for the musical and co-wrote the music with John Du Prez. Idle said adapting the original movie script to the stage was "challenging enough."

"As you get older, that's what you like — a challenge," he told APTN.

The five living members of the original cast — Idle, John Cleese (news), Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin — briefly posed for photographs and waved to fans. A sixth member, Graham Chapman, died in 1989.

Other celebrities in the audience included Whoopi Goldberg (news), Candice Bergen (news), Steve Martin and Carly Simon (news).

[dave9199]

I've got to push the pram a lot!

[bertrand]

The review in today's Washington Post was lukewarm. Bummer - I actually was considering trying to scare up a ticket for the week-end of April 30th, since I hope to go up to NYC to catch Larry Ridley's Jackie McLean retrospective.

Bertrand.

[ejp626]

I saw it in Chicago and enjoyed it immensely. No, it's not cutting edge but it is very, very funny.

[BruceH]

I read a quite negative review of it yesterday.

[Dan Gould]

The Times review was positive if not a rave.

[wulfman]

If you aren't satisfied after SPAMALOT, try SPAM JAM.

Unfortunately not touring in the US.