BrightSide's 'Spamalot' revival solid, but needs polish

Naperville's BrightSide Theatre concludes its fifth season on a merry note with a revival of “Monty Python's Spamalot,” the irresistibly irreverent musical inspired by the Arthurian legend and based on the 1975 film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”

The musical - which premiered in Chicago in 2004 then transferred to Broadway for a nearly four-year run, picking up three Tony Awards along the way - has a special place in the hearts of BrightSide artistic director Jeffrey Cass and executive director Julie Ann Kornak. The company took its name from one of “Spamalot's” songs, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” from the Pythons' 1979 religious satire “The Life of Brian.”

Written by Eric Idle and composed by Idle and John Du Prez, “Spamalot” is a silly, satirical sendup of musical theater conventions, gender roles and class. It's a good time, for the ensemble and the audience alike. That's certainly evident from director Cass' cast, an indefatigable group that includes Amanda Walsh as the diva-licious Lady of the Lake and Ryan Breig, who plays a not-quite expired peasant named Fred.

The show chronicles the exploits of Britain's King Arthur (a droll Robert Sorensen) and loyal squire Patsy (the genial Scott Kelley). Together they scour the country seeking a cadre of men to assist Arthur's quest for the holy grail. Among the knights errant who enlist are: the perpetually timid Robin (Connor Hernandez), tough guy Lancelot (Mark Johnson), the gassy Sir Bedevere (Matt Gibson) and the rabble-rousing Dennis (Mik Dempsey). The latter transforms from a progressive peasant provocateur into the handsome Sir Galahad under the guidance of Walsh's Lady of the Lake, the mysterious woman who bestowed on Arthur his crown.

Once assembled, the group stops for a little rest and relaxation in Camelot, the Middle Ages' version of Las Vegas, complete with showgirls and silver streamers. Soon after, the knights begin their quest. Along the way, they confront impertinent French soldiers who hurl insults (among other things) at them, ni-sayers who demand an oddly specific token, a combative knight who perseveres despite some debilitating setbacks and a rabbit more ferocious than he looks.

Cass does a nice job re-creating “Spamalot's” silly gags and visual puns. Conductor Sarah Giordano has the show in solid shape musically, and choreographer Jeni Donahue scores with the tap-infused “Knights of the Round Table” and the ever-appealing soft-shoe number, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” which unfolds against set designer Eric Luchen's economical “very expensive forest.”

Still, the production needs polish. The comic rhythms opening night weren't as well-honed as they should be, although that will likely improve over the course of the run. Not all of the ensemble members appeared to be completely comfortable in their roles. That's not to say they're not well-rehearsed, but in some I sensed a bit of uncertainty, although I suspect that too will disappear the more performances they have under their belts.

That said, BrightSide earns points for gumption and grit. And the cast includes several noteworthy performances including the likable Breig as the remarkably spry Not Dead Fred and the moony Prince Herbert. Hernandez earns kudos for his near showstopping turn in the satirical “You Won't Succeed on Broadway.”

But it's the dynamic Walsh who dominates. A first-rate belter with a keen sense of the Python sensibility, Walsh has the chops and the confidence to pull off this comic quest.