WE'VE SEEN the local staging of "Spamalot" at RCBC Theater directed by Joel Trinidad (son of Noel), featuring amazing performances from Lorenz Martinez (son of Leo) as King Arthur and Rachel Alejandro (daughter of Hajji) as the Lady of the Lake. Rachel excels in all her numbers: "The Song that Goes Like This", "Find Your Grail" and "What Happened to My Part". She also gets to wear some fabulous gowns designed by Francis Libiran.
Ripped off from the British movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", the musical comedy irreverently spoofs Camelot, the Knights of the Round Table and the search for the Holy Grail. It's a hit in both West End in London and in Broadway. Other rollicking musical numbers are "I Am Not Dead Yet", King Arthur's "I'm All Alone" and the inspiring and catchy "Always Look at the Bright Side of Life" which you will be humming when you go out of the theatre.
Joel Trinidad's clever mounting and direction has its own take on the material, making it appear like it's set in a mental asylum with lead actor Lorenz Martinez first appearing on stage in a straight jacket guarded by mental hospital attendants. They also changed some lyrics, like in the song "You Won't Succeed in Broadway", with Broadway becoming RCBC and the word Jews replaced by stars. Pop cultural references abound, including Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Lea Salonga. They even include the hit song "Despacito". If you want a riotously funny show, don't miss "Spamalot" on its last two days this weekend on Friday and Saturday, August 11 and 12.
