a new spin-off from my reviews blog





Friday, July 12, 2013

Spamalot backstage











I'm locked in a poky subterranean lavatory, struggling to get into silver leggings originally made for Matthew Kelly.
In less than an hour, I shall be enjoying my five seconds of fame, walking on to the Playhouse stage in Spamalot. It's not a demanding role. Listen for the cue, stride on, left hand on Sir Robin's right shoulder, double take, apologize and off Stage Right. But I do get a full costume, with plastic breastplate and rather nice soft leather boots, a radio mic for my one word of dialogue, a rehearsal and ceaseless support and encouragement from the friendly but very busy company, including the lovely Bonnie Langford, Joe [Arthur King] Pasquale, Kit Orton [whom I last saw in The Hired Man] and of course the endlessly reassuring Rob Delaney [whom I last saw as Posner in Chichester]. And not forgetting the patient, unflappable stage management team and the wardrobe ladies whose space I invaded for a couple of hours.

The cramped wings are noisy and very busy – a plague cart here, a shrubbery there – but I can see most of the action as well as the quick changes and the props grabbed from the offstage racks. And then it's that "aptly" cue, and I'm on … and off, all too soon, my one moment of West End glory gone in a flash.
Spamalot is running all summer and into the autumn, with stars appearing as God [on video] for charity, and the new Friday schedule, which has a 6pm post-work slot as well as a 9pm.

My brief review here ...

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