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Health & Fitness

Laugh a lot at "Spamalot" – Monty Python play at DHS for weekend run

By SUE SUCHYTA

             Do you enjoy the offbeat and irreverent humor of Monty Python?  Are you a fan of musical theater as well?  If you are, you have a limited window of opportunity to catch the hilarious, irreverent and high-spirited musical comedy “Spamalot,” running now through Sunday at Dearborn High School.

            The absurd musical comedy continues its comic romp for two more performances, at 7:30 p.m. April 12 and at 3 p.m. April 13 in Valentine Auditorium at Dearborn High School, on Outer Drive north of Michigan Avenue in Dearborn.

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            Tickets are $7 for students and senior citizens, $10 for college students with I.D. and $12 for general admission. Call the DHS theatre box office at 313-827-1647 to reserve tickets. “Spamalot” may not be appropriate for children under twelve.

            Billed as “lovingly ripped off” from the movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “Spamalot” is a farcical and funny tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

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            Produced and directed by Greg Phillip Viscomi, “Spamalot” features musical direction by Carmelle Atkins and choreography by Jennifer McPherson, with Jeff Oshnock conducting the Dearborn High School’s orchestra.

            The show’s appeal lies in its ability to make fun of itself and musical theatre in general, in a fun, self-deprecating way.

            The leading lady complains about her lack of stage time, the trusty squire creates horse clopping sounds on stage with non-native coconut halves, plague victims cheerfully refuse to die, and Lancelot, with a sigh of relief, reveals his inner sparkle when he’s ready to admit he “bats for the other team.”

            Throughout the show, witty, clever and irreverent lines will make you laugh, and the cast drops in the occasional local reference to catch the audience off guard as well.  If there were occasional weaknesses with the personal microphones opening night, the delighted house listened more carefully and forgave the vagrancies of the sound system.

            The show is an ensemble piece, and while the leads and featured characters have plenty of opportunities to generate laughs and show their considerable talent, it is the character parts, played with unrestrained joy by the enormously talented troupe of thespians, that is delightfully entertaining.

            Whether you see Gina Soave, who is optimistically “Not Dead” Fred, or Sir Taps A Lot, tirelessly and good-naturedly performed by Maria Viscomi, or the Black Night, played by Charles Bell as he bandies words and nonsense, the show is fun.

            Lancelot’s number with dancers spoofing the Village People is hold-your-sides funny in Act II. 

            The Laker Girls get the unofficial award for cheerfully changing costumes the most, while heralding a funny scene each time they bound onstage to fill the house and their own company with energy.

            The show is funny and fun. While director Viscomi has made an effort to remove the raunchiest of the off-color moments from the adult musical, and he has cut down at least some of the swear words, this is not a show to take a precocious pre-teen to – not if you don’t want to hear off-color lines and naughty words tripping from their young tongues.  Adults, however, will love it and laugh.

            The cast features 41 students, including seniors Joe Read as King Arthur, Victoria Johnson as Sir Robin, Ben Apostle as Sir Galahad and Charles Bell as the Black Knight.

            Seniors Mary Charara and Christina Pizzimenti share the role of the Lady of the Lake, featuring Pizzimenti April 12 and Charara April 13.

            Featured juniors include Cameron Cherry as Sir Lancelot, Mary Dillon as King Arthur's Squire Patsy and Christian Plonka as both Sir Bedevere and the Lord of Swamp Land Castle.

            Gina Soave plays Not Dead Fred, Alec Sheldon is Prince Herbert and Andrew Oswald is the Historian.

            So what are you waiting for?  Stop reading this review and go order your tickets – and get on your imaginary horse OR ride your mechanical Mustang and Pinto or whatever has horsepower to Dearborn High School this weekend and enjoy the laughter! 
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