Monty Python's Spamalot 2012 - Review

Spamalot : UK Tour 2011/12

Promo:

 

Monty Python’s Spamalot is the story evolving around King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Eric Idle, the creator of Monty Python wanted to give a comic twist to the British history. At the start of the show, we meet King Arthur doing his best (and mostly failing) at recruiting his knights. I mean, King Arthur was made a king by receiving a sword called Excalibur, by a Lady in the Lake. And what’s more? His horse is invisible, however Patsy – his faithful servant creates the sound effects of horse’ hooves with two halves of coconuts.

One way or another, King Arthur manages to recruit enough knights and through a divine intervention from God they started off their first quest – that of seeking the Holy Grail. This leads the actors through various ridiculous settings and random challenges. My favourite would be when the team encounters the French taunters. Typical of the French, they do not pursue a good grip of the English language, and thus end up abusing the King verbally. A few quotes….

"You don't frighten us, English pig dogs. Go and boil your bottoms, you sons of a silly persons. I blow my nose at you, so-called "Arthur King," you and all your silly English K-nig-hts."

"Your Mother was a hamster and your father smells of elderberries!"

"I don't want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction."

Another scene was the challenge of finding a shrubbery to avoid the wrath of the ‘Knights who say Ni’. By the time King Arthur finds the shrubbery, who was going to be thrown away by an elderly lady because of her cat pissing in it, the ‘Knights who say Ni’, became known as the Knights who say ‘ekki-ekki-ekki-ekki-ptang zoom-boing z'nourrwringmm’ or something of that sort.

The Stage. Regent Theater is a strict theater and I
could not take any photos during the show.

Other LOL factors would include Lancelot rescuing Prince Herbert and turning gay, the courageous Black Knight who still wants to fight King Arthur despite having his arms cut off (and ends up impaled on a doorway) and the cute white rabbit who turns psycho.

Might I add that Spamalot includs a number of songs which were hilarious and full of puns, such as the Fish-Slapping song, Not Yet Dead, All for One and obviously Bright Side of Life.

Over all this show has exceeded my expectation. I was giggling throughout, and I managed to sing a couple of songs too. I wouldn’t mind watching this again if I had the opportunity, and I would suggest all Monty Python fans to buy tickets to this show. It is worth every penny!

I shall leave you with a couple of videos from the show. These are however not ones of the current tour. Enjoy!

Bright Side of Life

 

All for One 

Not Dead Yet

Snow here, there and everywhere!

After much wait and anticipation for me and all those who LOVE snow, and after much wait and dreadfulness for those who despise it, last weekend was a snowy weekend here in Stoke.

Mostly due to the excitement of seeing snow again since last December, I found it hard to sleep on the Friday night. It was forecasted to start snowing at noon on Saturday, so the plan was to finish off the errands beforehand and then go somewhere nice and cosy to enjoy the view of snow. Needless to say, my plan fell apart, and when it started snowing at 12:03pm, I was in Knutton waiting for a bus. Freezing my ass off, was the least of my problems though as I was pretty much enchanted with looking at the hail, which soon enough turned into snow. What a beautiful view!

The snow kept going through the afternoon, evening and night. At some point I went for a walk close by to home. By the time I got home I was full of snow. Some photos of my night brief adventure can be found here:

Furthermore, on the Sunday when it stopped snowing, I went to a park close by and took some photos. It was a misty day, and a cold one too. The lake was frozen, the sky white... the photos I took looked haunted, and I probably fell more in love with snow...

I don't know if it is just me... but I find snow to be calming; for that moment in time, I forget all my troubles and I'm stress-free.

Note: All the photos in this article belong to me, and were taken in Porthill. Please get permission should you require to use any of them.

The first night

Although I was looking forward to moving to the UK, I must admit that during the last few days in Malta, I was terrified and slightly dreading it. Even though I had enough of everything the island had to offer, and I can say that my motivation in living in Malta was gone, I wasn't sure I can handle a life in a town I've never been before, where I knew no one.

Excited and terrified at the same time, I went to the airport, on the plane, flew for 3.5 hours and landed when the clock striked 9pm. A guy with a banner with my name on, greeted me at Manchester's Airport and then we started our way to Stoke, right to the Moat House Hotel. This is where I spent the first night. I remember, it was cold, yet cosy. The receptionist was very welcoming, gave me tons of coupons for free internet, which sorted out most of my night, as I was too excited to sleep.

Moat Hotel / View from Hotel / English Breakfast the next morning.

The next morning, a taxi took me to my place in Porthill. I was really happy with it, but I had no towels, no pillows, no nothing except furniture, glasses and utensils. Having no internet on my phone or at my place, I walked out of the house aimlessly until I found High Street from were I purchased some groceries and a towel. I was so glad that I took my fleece with me to the UK. And that was my first night in Porthill, sorted.

My house / Porthill / First Lunch