The dazzling company of 24 gifted singers, dancers, and actors under the remarkably inventive direction and choreography of Josh Rhodes have brought to the St.James Theatre on 44th Street a production that is musical theater as we wish it would always be — exciting, inventive, entertaining. I call the company ‘dazzling” because it is consistently sharp, and at the matinee I attended, a leading character called “the Lady of the Lake’ was played by one of the Ensemble company, whose star quality is usually reserved for — well, — stars!. Her name is Gabriela Enriquez, and she is gorgeous, blessed with a satiny soprano voice, and her body moves with precision and grace. I don’t know how often she gets to play this role, but she fits into the long running company of principal players so smoothly that it proves she’d been paying attention when the staging was created for the Opening Night back on October 31.
The Playbill lists the show as “having been lovingly ripped off from the original screenplay of the motion picture “Monty Python And the Holy Grail” which in turn was written by six comic writers including Eric Idle who wrote book, music, and lyrics for the stage version with some work on the score done with John DuPrez. It showed up onstage in 2005 in London and on Broadway where it played over 1500 performances followed by a popular American national tour. It was a big winner for Mike Nichols who staged it. It received 14 Tony nominations winning in three categories including Best Musical. The Nichols version opened in London in 2006. It’s not been on Broadway since 2009, and it is certainly welcome again now that the world needs to laugh more than ever,
The musical spins a tale of Arthurian legend and the Knights of the Round Table – Galahad, Robin, Lancelot, the Black Knight Prince Herbert, and Not Yet Dead Fred, all joining Sir Not Appearing and the Lady of the Lake. King Arthur is around to tell us tales. The King is played with great panache by James Iglehart who knows how to play with power while not forgetting that this is all a comical romp. Much of the score helps to remind us that this is a spoof. More than twenty songs are sung (and smashingly danced) with titles like “I Am Not Dead Yet,” “I’m All Alone Now” (he’s not), and one that’s become a standard, “Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life.” The lyrics and the tunes earn laughs and contribute mightily to the merriment. It’s all Broadway at its best.
Most of the acting company doubles and triples. Christopher Fitzgerald, Michael Urie, Taran Killam, Jimmy Smagula, and Nik Walker all pop up whenever needed in roles that are male and occasionally female.. The supporting actresses in the company do great work as Ensemble spending most of their time changing gowns, but each delights us.
The set is heavy with walls, gates, stairs, all looking majestic. Walls drop down, floors slide off, flowers and snow fall from above. The gowns worn by the Lady In The Lake and all her supporting ladies, are magnificent – brilliant colors fill the large stage and it all looks expensive and lush. When needed to be dark and scary, it is that too, so credit goes to scenic and projector designer Paul Tate dePoo III, lighting designer Cory Patty, and Costume Designer Jen Caprio. But it’s the director Josh Rhodes, as commander in chief of all creative departments, continues his growing list of beautifully directed and choreographed stage pieces,