Spamalot

[bellinghman]

We went to the Phill Jupitus-led production of Spamalot at the Corn Exchange last night. uitlander had secured us tickets J16-18, which meant pretty much in the middle of the second row, a point close enough to the stage that we could easily make out the badges the performers were wearing as their coats of arms (Jupitus was wearing the arms of Cambridge University, perhaps as a tribute to the venue).

A great show, based on the Monty Python and the Holy Grail story, but with certain meta aspects addressing the form of the musical itself, including the point where King Arthur has to stage a musical, and has to find a star to perform in it or it won't work. This does, of course, reflect the way that Jupitus is a known name in an otherwise pretty well unknown ensemble cast.

The first half was good, but I think it got even better for the second half. It was relatively short, finishing about two hours after it started (and there's a half hour for the interval), but the density of the comedy made it feel longer.

Overall, well recommended, even to those like me who would normally steer well clear of musicals.

Comments

[uitlander]

No. Look at the length of the blue and white strips around the outside. They vary, and this is the distinguishing feature.

[fanf]

That is a matter of how the arms are drawn from the blazon, which leaves a lot for the artist to decide. Both John's and Christ's use the arms of Margaret Beaufort unmodified, and their blazon does not specify the number of blue and silver segments in the border.

[uitlander]

This may be correct in heraldry. However, when I was here the first time around I was told by members of Christs and John's independently that there was a gentleman's agreement about how the width of these is represented between the two colleges as the way of differentiating the two.