There is something quite appealing when a show knows exactly how ridiculous it is and revels in it. Monty Python’s SPAMALOT does exactly that, delivering a wonderfully anarchic night of musical comedy in which medieval knights, killer rabbits, flying cows and wildly misplaced Broadway conventions happily collide.
Lovingly adapted from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, SPAMALOT follows King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table on their increasingly misguided quest for the Holy Grail. With a book and lyrics by Monty Python co-founder Eric Idle and music by John Du Prez and Idle, the musical has retained the irreverent spirit of its source material while developing a theatrical personality of its own.
Since its Broadway premiere in 2005, SPAMALOT has established itself as one of modern musical theatre’s great comic creations. Its affectionate send-up of the conventions of the genre is particularly effective because, beneath all the silliness, it is also a very accomplished musical.
Big Broadway vocals, playfully silly production numbers, tap-dancing knights and an abundance of visual gags are thrown together with such confidence that the sheer absurdity becomes part of the show’s considerable charm.
Director Drew Anthony keeps the action moving at a brisk pace, understanding that SPAMALOT works best when there is barely time to recover from one joke before the next arrives. The staging has an infectious energy, while Jamie and Suzi Rolton’s choreography makes excellent use of the ensemble, particularly when the Knights are required to do anything other than behave like medieval warriors.
Stephen Curry is terrific as King Arthur, bringing an appealing comic authority to the role. He understands that Arthur is surrounded by complete lunacy and plays the straight man just enough to make the absurdity around him even funnier.
Jaz Flowers is a standout as the Lady of the Lake, commanding the stage with a powerful voice and an appropriately outsized comic presence. Her performance provides some of the production’s strongest musical moments, while also sending up the grand theatrical entrances and vocal flourishes of the traditional musical heroine.
Jamie Rolton makes an engaging Patsy, while Gareth Isaac, Noah Skape, Jesse Vasiliadis and Ethan Jones each find distinctive comic personalities as Sir Robin, Sir Bedevere, Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad respectively. Nick White, meanwhile, has great fun in his multiple roles, disappearing into a succession of characters with considerable comic timing.
The ensemble deserves particular recognition. Whether dancing, singing, reacting to the increasingly ridiculous proceedings or simply appearing in exactly the wrong place at exactly the right time, they provide the production with much of its momentum.
Visually, the production captures the absurd aesthetic of Python’s world. Digital set design allows for seamless transitions between locations, while Annette Stivaletta’s costumes capture the deliberately exaggerated aesthetic.
Jason Bovaird’s lighting adds plenty of theatrical sparkle and Jordan Gibbs’ sound design keeps the production sounding as energetic as it looks. Vocal direction by Rainer Pollard ensures that the musical numbers have the polish required beneath all the comic mayhem.
And then there are the songs. Find Your Grail, The Song That Goes Like This and Always Look on the Bright Side of Life provide the musical backbone, each demonstrating how effectively SPAMALOT can move between parody and genuinely infectious musical theatre.
What makes this production work so well is its willingness to be gloriously silly without becoming careless. The jokes may be absurd, but the performers are committed, the musical numbers are polished and the staging is carefully constructed.
Drew Anthony’s production is a joyful celebration of Python’s wonderfully skewed view of the world. Funny, energetic and thoroughly entertaining, SPAMALOT is exactly the kind of irreverent night out that musical comedy does so well.
Monty Python’s SPAMALOT
Athenaeum Theatre, 188 Collins Street, Melbourne
Performance: Saturday 19 September 2026
Season continues to 11 October 2026
Bookings: www.ticketmaster.com.au
Following the Melbourne season, Monty Python’s SPAMALOT will play the Sydney Event Centre from 15 October, and the Coliseum Theatre, Western Sydney from 22 October 2026. For more information, visit: www.drewanthonycreative.com.au for details.
Images: Monty Python’s SPAMALOT – photos by Ben Fon
Review: Rohan Shearn