Spamalot Review

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Sunday
http://americanidolamericanidol.blogspot.com/2008/01/color-me-surprised-clay-aiken-is.html


Color Me Surprised: Clay Aiken Is Fantastic in Spamalot

If I'm being totally honest, I didn't go into today's matinee performance of Spamalot with the highest of expectations.

Since it had been announced that Clay Aiken was joining the Broadway cast in the role of Sir Robin I've been dubious as to how good of a fit the American Idol runner-up and the Monty Python show would be.

Well color me very pleasantly surprised -- Clay was great!

His voice was, of course, fantastic, but it was his comic timing and his dancing that shocked me the most. From the moment he appeared on stage, he was totally, and delightfully, in character, and he maintained that commitment throughout the entire show.

He delivered his lines like an old pro, and completely embraced his character's often quirky movement, footwork, and comic bits, even when they required him to make fun of himself.

Best of all -- he appeared to be having the time of his life. The often irreverent humor of the show seemed to fit him like a glove, and he imbued each of his scenes with what appeared to be a genuine sense of joy.

I was a big Clay supporter back in Season 2 of Idol, but his attitude the past several years has turned me off a bit to him. However, seeing him sing, dance, act, and laugh, I remembered the charming, dorky fella' who shocked us all with his pipes back on Idol. I half-expected him to be stiff and awkward -- instead, he was loose and relaxed, creating real chemistry with his co-stars.

Speaking of his co-stars, the cast is more solid and the show tighter than it's been since it first opened. As Sir Lancelot, Rick Holmes was a hoot and a half, and a more accomplished song-and-dance man than Hank Azaria, who created the role. Chris Seiber has returned to the show, and although he appears to have put on about 30lbs, he was funny as ever playing Sir Galahad. Tom Deckman played the roles originated by Christian Borle with a delightfully deadpan gaze plastered across his face, and Hannah Waddingham, imported from the British version of Spamalot, was perfection as the Lady of the Lake.

All in all, Clay and the cast have managed to make Spamalot a must-see once again.



Thank you 'hell' for the link!