Tired of turkey? Try some ‘Spamalot’

‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ This Thanksgiving holiday, you might want to pass on that third serving of stuffing and… ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ This Thanksgiving holiday, you might want to pass on that third serving of stuffing and try something new. Like spam. ‘ ‘ ‘ As in the musical-comedy, ‘Monty Python’s Spamalot,’ of course. ‘ ‘ ‘ With only eight performances,’Spamalot’ is a small opportunity to laugh off those additional calories. ‘ ‘ ‘ The show is dubbed as ‘lovingly ripped-off’ from the well-known film, ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail.’ The humor of Monty Python has been attracting fans for decades, and this show is no exception. The show also won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2005. ‘ ‘ ‘ Very loosely based on Arthurian legend, the show follows rag-tag versions of King Arthur, Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad and others as they quest to find the Holy Grail. On their journey, they encounter flatulent Frenchmen, killer rabbits and a diva-fied version of the Lady of the Lake. ‘ ‘ ‘ Playing this part on tour is Esther Stilwell, who has been a part of the National Tour Company since 2006. Auditioning for the part in Chicago on a stop during a touring production of ‘Cats,’ she said it has been ‘Spamalot’ ever since. She admits, though, that shifting from a singing feline to an ethereal diva was quite a change. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I had never done a comedy [before ‘Spamalot’]. I was used to serious stuff like ‘Cats,” said Stilwell. ‘I was nervous ‘mdash; I didn’t know if I would be funny or not.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Of course, she said, the more you try to be funny, the less funny you are. ‘ ‘ ‘ Even if you have never seen nor heard Monty Python’s very particular brand of humor, Stilwell said the show has fans who range from die-hard Grail-finders to those who simply like good musical-comedy. ‘ ‘ ‘ Taking a lavish production like ‘Spamalot’ requires expert skill and effort, especially with many set pieces weighing thousands of pounds. Moving from theater to theater presents constant challenges and obstacles, she said, but it keeps the show fresh. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘The good thing about traveling and touring is that you go to different theaters and adjust to every one separately. There’s a lot of improvisation in the show, too, so with the show constantly changing, it makes it so the performance never feels stale,’ she said. ‘ ‘ ‘ While the show’s music covers a wide variety of styles and genres, Stilwell’s favorite song is ‘Find Your Grail,’ which she performs. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘I love [the song]. I love the gospel style of it, and it is such a good song vocally. It’s a very emotionally heightened moment in the show,’ she said. ‘ ‘ ‘ Stilwell said touring is an amazing experience, and the cast is full of good, nice people that are a pleasure to work with. She also said Primanti Brothers would be a definite stop while she is in Pittsburgh. ‘ ‘ ‘ As part of the PNC Broadway Across America ‘mdash; Pittsburgh Series, ‘Spamalot’ will make its return visit to the Benedum Center from Nov. 25 to 30, and Stilwell said that Pittsburgh audiences should expect a good time. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘The show is escapism, it’s absurd humor,’ she said. ‘Come to the show to have a good time and a good laugh. It’s a good way to forget about everything that’s going on in the world right now.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ Perhaps the ultimate solution to economic crises is merely a matter of finding a shrubbery.