Monty Python fans rejoice: the Holy Grail of musical comedy, “Spamalot,” returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts February 17 through 22.
Lovingly adapted from the 1975 film classic, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “Spamalot” has everything that makes a great knight at the theatre: flying cows, killer rabbits, British royalty, French taunters, dancing girls, rubbery shrubbery, a knight with a flesh wound, and the Lady of the Lake.
“Spamalot” features well-known Monty Python songs including “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” (borrowed from “The Life of Brian” film)“The Song That Goes Like This,” “Find Your Grail” and others that have become beloved classics in the musical theater canon.
“Spamalot” first galloped onto Broadway in 2005 and features book and lyrics by Monty Python alum Eric Idle with music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle. The original Broadway production, which ran for more than four years, was directed by Mike Nichols and nominated for 14 Tony Awards. It won three Tonys including Best Musical.
Following its critically acclaimed 2023 Broadway revival at the St. James Theatre, “Spamalot” launched a North American tour ion the fall of 2025. Under the direction and choreography of Josh Rhodes, the production was praised for its inventive staging, design, and exceptional performances, reaffirming the enduring appeal of Monty Python’s distinct wit and comedic brilliance.
“Spamalot” offers a highly irreverent parody of Arthurian legend, with the title being a fusing of Spam and Camelot. As to the plot of “Spamalot,” well, if you’ve seen “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” you have an idea of the nonstop silliness and comedic escapades in store.
Emilie Renier is touring in Spamalot and has one of the more difficult musical theater assignments: She is a swing, and the dance captain.
In musical theater, a “swing” is a performer who learns and covers multiple roles, known as “tracks,” and is ready to step in at a moment’s notice to ensure the show runs smoothly. This requires them to memorize choreography, blocking, lines, and harmonies for each role they cover.
A Dance Captain is a key member of a theatre production responsible for maintaining the integrity of choreography and ensuring that all dance performances meet the artistic standards set by the choreographer.
“It’s a big undertaking, but it’s really fun,” said Renier during a phone call from Seattle, where Spamalot is playing before it comes down to Costa Mesa. “I get to help people perfect what they’re doing on stage as well. I have a lot to do with the rehearsing of the show and maintaining the show. It’s always nice to see somebody continue to get better in what they do every night and feel really confident about it.”
She also gives notes for the show every week.
“I’ll watch it, and I’ll just note little things that are a little weird, or maybe things that have started to change, because we’re human, and that’s natural with a long running show,” explained Renier. “If a principal calls out, I help the understudy slip into the track seamlessly. And all of our understudies on the show are really fantastic, so they make it easy.”
Being a swing is indeed challenging, but Renier said swings tend to have that extra muscle where their brain is—they look at the stage and see the puzzle that’s happening.
“I have swung a lot, so I feel like I now have these tools in my back pocket that I have learned over time.”
One big challenge, said Renier, is that “Spamalot” is a comedy, and a specific type of comedy.
“I think the challenge was how do we honor Monty Python and Eric idol?” said Renier. “And how is it appealing for an American audience? And Josh Rhodes, our director and choreographer, was just breathtaking in how he helped us craft it, how he gave us room to be ourselves and bring something new to it, but also kind of kept us within the boundaries of the show.”
As far as audience reactions while on tour, Renier said “if you’re not laughing, there’s a problem with you, right? There is just something in there for everybody. And you’re going to have the people who love Monty Python, and they’re going to come and see the stuff that they really love. And it’s nostalgic from the movie. And then you have people who have no idea what Monty Python is. And it takes them a second, and then once they start realizing there’s nothing serious on stage, you just hear the audience swell. And when there’s so much conflict in the world right now, it’s so nice to go to the theater and just laugh. There’s nothing that deep, which is really relieving.”
Bottom line: audiences are guaranteed to laugh a lot at “Spamalot.”
Visit www.SCFTA.org for tickets.
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