Spamalot

just been to the Lamproom to see this. Absolutely wonderful performance by the local company.

Laughed all the way through. Well worth the money.

Well done to all concerned.

 

I’d like to see a professional performance just to compare. But take nothing away from the cast last night, they were tremendous.

 

I saw a version with Marcus Brigstocke and Hayley Tamaddon in that was really good as well.

 

Sorry, going off at a slight tangent here but has anyone seen the lamprooms production of the Sparkies series? fantastic.

 

Thanks barnsley66 I played the part of King Arthur!! We have had a fantastic week with superb audiences every night. Well worth missing Derby on Sunday and certainly took my mind off our relagation.

 

Well done mate. You and the cast had me laughing all through. A very well performed production. Please pass on my thanks to the rest.

 

Saw it with Marcus Brigstock a few years ago - very funny!

 

I take that as a no then, ok I'm going now,

 

Saw the matinee performance yesterday. They made a really good go of it, costumes were excellent, I'm a big fan of The Holy Grail and as much of the musical is taken directly from that I already find it funny (Although, the best joke was 'hey' - Genius.).

Then came "You Won't Succeed On Broadway" and I was like "WTF"!

Now I've thought about it I get it, when it played on Broadway, which is where it originally opened, I'm sure that in-joke went down brilliantly. And yes, it's highly unlikely that a group of English knights on a quest for the grail is going to be well represented by the Jewish community, which adds to the joke.

But watching it performed by an amateur dramatics society in Barnsley, being part of an audience (myself included) with little or no knowledge of the demographic of the theatre going fraternity in New York, and viewing it with no prior knowledge of the musical, it was ******* bizarre.

- Just checked a Youtube video of the original cast performing it on Broadway and the first time Sir Robin sings the line it gets a huge laugh. In Barnsley, and many other places I suspect, it got a baffled/shocked silence -

I'm not suggesting it's anti-Semitic, it's not, but it's very much a joke aimed at a specific audience and away from that audience it's very, very odd.

It wouldn't make any sense if they changed it, and the whole premise is woven into the second act, so it can't be dropped, but for me at least, and judging by the reaction of the rest of the audience, I'm not the only one, a very funny musical now has a dead spot in it, and that spot is cavernous.

Yours, a s*t theatre critic.

 

I completely agree with you Jay. Having influence in the society and playing the lead role I aurgued with anyone who would listen that the ‘joke’ would not work in Barnsley and was proved right I think.
I will pass on both good and bad comments into our meeting on Tuesday.
Thanks for coming anyway and please keep up your support of the society and the Theatre.

 

Like Jay I was a bit surprised by that particular number. I realised it referred to Broadway and the influence Jewish backers had or have on shows there. Coming as it did well into the show I think the audience were surprised but accepted it as part of the production.

It didn’t spoil the evening at all, and the “hay!” joke was extremely well done.

 

Stood where I was on the stage you could hear the stunned silence and the odd embarrassing snigger every night. The original West End version made no reference to Jews just "stars" was just as funny and had a funnier ending. Didn't spoil it for me as I had a fabulous time though.