Spamalot!

So I haven't blogged for a while, but that's because I was off in Sunny South Africa, the Land os Sun, Mountains, Sea, and Dial-up Internet. Despite that, it was very difficult to leave there and come back here - I've been happy here, but seeing my family again I realised just how much I miss them, and how difficult it is being on my own here.

But anyway, today I went to see Spamalot. I booked my ticket ages ago, and got a front row seat. What I dislike the most about booking via seetickets or lastminute is that you can't choose your seat - they just assign you the 'best' available seat - and I'm not quite sure what algorithm they use to determine that. So I was quite impressed to get a front row seat, except that when I got there it wasn't quite as good as I'd thought it would be.

You don't get to see the rest of the audience, of course, so you don't so much feel part of a large group. But the problem, at this theatre at least, is not so much that it's too close as that it's too low! The stage itself is at about eye-level, which was really disappointing, (although you do get a good view into the orchestra pit, for what that's worth). The upper levels aren't as far back as they are in othe theatres I've been to, and the next one up (the grand circle, I'd guess) or the back of the stalls would have given a much better view, in a vertically-balanced sense. Although sitting in the front row is nice, since you can stretch your legs - but the front row of the grand circle would have been much better Kand possibly cheaper, although I have a vauge feeling that the stalls and the grand circle were the same price).

Once it started, though, I didn't mind very much. It was great being that close - you could really see everyone, and every expression. And it was absolutely hilarious - so funny, you just can't help laughing out loud... continuously :-) The songs were awesome, and they did my favourite: 'Always look on the bright side of life'.

The cast was really good, too - Tim Curry as King Arthur (and I got to see him up close!), and Christopher Siebert as Galahad (and I got to see him up close too! - in case you don't recognise the name, he was Simon in 'It's All Relative'). The guys playing Lancelot and Robin were also familiar, but I don't recognise anything they've been in.

Brilliant play, and I really recommend that you see it - even if you haven't watched any Monty Python before.