If you go
› What: “Spamalot”› Where: Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St.› When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, April 16-18› Admission: $37, $52, $67 and $77› For more information: 423-757-5580
What do you get in a mash-up of "Camelot" and "Monty Python and the Holy Grail?"
"Spamalot," the musical comedy that is an irreverent parody of the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
The Knights of the Round Table in "Spamalot." / Spamalot National Tour photoThe national tour of "Spamalot" stops at the Tivoli Theatre for three evening performances Tuesday-Thursday, April 16-18.
This musical unabashedly proclaims it is "lovingly ripped off from the 1975 film 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'" with a book by Eric Idle and music and lyrics by the Grammy-winning team of Idle and John Du Prez.
"Spamalot" opens with Arthur's recruitment of his knights followed by their quest for the Holy Grail.
King Arthur travels the land with his servant, Patsy, who follows him banging two coconut shells together to make the clip-clop sound of a horse as Arthur "rides" before him. In addition to such sight gags, "Spamalot" is brimming with pop-culture puns like the Lady of the Lake and her Laker Girls.
Throw in flatulent Frenchmen, flying cows, killer rabbits, a plague victim named Not Dead Fred along with 20 original tunes and it's easy to see why Newsday called the show "a Holy Grail of a big crowd-pleasing musical."
The 2005 Broadway production received 14 Tony Award nominations, winning in three categories, including Best Musical.