Lakewood Playhouse is ending its 75th anniversary season with sold-out houses of its season capper, “Monty Python’s Spamalot.”
The show is a kidney-bursting comedy in true Python spirit as it tells the story of King Arthur’s search for the Holy Grail purportedly used during the Last Supper. Written by Eric Idle and John Du Prez, the musical has all the best from the Python canon of hilarity and a few extra little something-somethings to make it more than a traditional revue of the works by the legendary British comedy troupe.
Possibly straight up heresy, the stage version might just be more funny than the movies that created it since Lakewood’s U-shaped stage requires all the actors to bring their funny bones front and center at all times because they are never more than a few feet from the audience. No actor can rest while another stage-trotter delivers hilarity. Everyone is required to be funny at all times through nuanced gestures and funny faces or risk dropping the theatrical illusion of acting at the feet of theatergoers. The actors have to peak their energy output anytime the limelight fills their faces.
Good thing then that the leads are far from strangers to the demanding stage Lakewood provides. Steve Tarry as Arthur against Coleman Hagerman’s Patsy and Gretchen Boyt in the role of the Lady of the Lake is casting perfection. Simply perfection. Tarry’s straight man delivery to Coleman’s comedic delivery of punch after punch of comedic one-liners create a duo of brilliant comedic timing. Boyt’s mystic siren turned fourth-wall breaking Broadway diva completes the funny trinity of parody awesomeness.
True to Monty Python, the script has its fair share of crude remarks, innuendos and marginally naughty bits, but nothing is patently offensive, although parental discretion is advised.
“Spamalot,” directed by John Munn, runs at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. on Sundays through July 13.
Special Showings at 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 19 (Pay What You Can Night) and 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 26 (Pay What You Can - Actor’s Benefit) and a 2 p.m. July 4 are also on the list. Tickets are $29, $27 (military), $26 (seniors) and $24 (students/educators) and available at http://www.lakewoodplayhouse.org. The theater is located in the Lakewood Towne Center, next to the Pierce Transit Center.