I know this doesnt technically count as movie news, but it is spawned from the movies.
Eric Idle, an original Monty Python comedy troupe cast member, has resurrected material from the film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” and reconstituted it into a Broadway musical entitled “Spamalot.”
The stage production, a comic take on the tale of King Arthur, features three songs from the 1975 Python movie as well as new music and lyrics written by Idle and John Du Prez.
The show includes skits with a chorus line of legless knights, attack rabbits and other goofy material lifted from the film.
David Hyde Pierce(TV’s Frasier and Hellboy), Hank Azaria (The Simpsons) and Tim Curry (Rocky Horror Picture Show and a million other things) will star in the stage production, which previews in Chicago in December, with the official Broadway opening set for March 2005.
The title comes from a song in the film, “I eat jam and ham and Spam a lot.”
Oh, if I have the money I will most certainly be hitting that show!!!
I saw that article too, and I’ve gotta say that some lawyers must be really desperate for billing hours. I mean, seriously … they think a Monty Python musical is going to steal business from Camelot? Please …
Came across the following little tidbit at playbill magazine while serching for some information about the play:
The proposed Broadway musical reworking of film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” titled Spamalot, has been contacted by lawyers of a Broadway-bound production of Camelot in an attempt to change its title.
The new stage show is scheduled to reign on Broadway in spring of 2005 after out-of town engagements. Mike Nichols will direct the work and produce with Ostar Productions. Jerry Mitchell choreographs.
According to a local news report, the Camelot attorney’s fax stated “I was disappointed to learn of the possibility that it might be called Spamalot. It is anticipated that there will be a Broadway production of [Alan Jay] Lerner and [Frederick] Loewe’s Camelot opening in the same season as the anticipated Spamalot, and the presence of these two shows together, we believe, can lead only to confusion in the minds of the public.”
“Since Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot has been in existence since 1961, we suggest that you consider changing the title of your musical,” read the request, according to the CBS affiliate.
The show’s bookwriter Eric Idle has pointed out that the title is derived from the movie in which one of the characters has the quotes “I eat ham and jam and Spam a lot.” As such, production spokespersons confirmed that the producers are planning to keep the title for the show.
Spamalot will feature a book by Idle based on the screenplay he co-wrote with Monty Python creators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The show will include two songs from the original film and a completely new score with music and lyrics by Idle and John Du Prez.
The British comedy troupe rose to fame with their BBC television show “Monty Python’s Flying Circus,” then gained international acclaim by turning their sketches and songs into films including “Monty Python’s Life of Brian” and “Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life.”
gosh, i hope they find a way to work in the lumberjack song!
i seem to just be posting thoughts that immediately pop in my head. i dont mind, but if any of u regulars are annoyed with my little quotes here and there please just tell me to shut up, i am a woman. anyways…i like spam!…the meaty kind..i think its meat..probably not…but i’d like to think it is.
The strange thing about these isn’t just that they’re being produced, it’s that they’re being produced for mainline, big budget Broadway. The Evil Dead thing makes sense when you look at what happens in fringe theater, but these are going all out big budget …
It would appear a lot of things that just dont make sense as a stage musical are being produced as them.
But apparently the EvilDead stage production was a hit.. maybe they are hoping for the same.
Fight Club was awesome, but its like Sixth Sense.. once you know what’s going on its just not as fun.
I was gonna post about this but you beat me to it … Julie Taymor’s also going to be directing a musical version of Spider-Man and word is that Fight Club is being adapted for Broadway as well. Go figure.