Sean Bell is one fast talker. Which makes him perfect to do the patter song “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway,” in Monty Python’s Spamalot, now on a North American tour on its way to Theatre Under the Stars at the Hobby Center.
Spamalot tells the story of knights on a quest with the usual complete silliness, clever lines and lack of reverence shown off in the British sketch comedy show Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The musical is based on the 1975 Monty Python and the Holy Grail movie. The Tony Award-winning musical has music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle with book and lyrics by Idle.
King Arthur and his faithful companion Patsy are looking for good candidates for his Knights of the Round Table who will undertake a quest and fight French soldiers. Their adventures are all over the place and come complete with flying cows and an evil rabbit.
Sir Robin isn’t quite in line with the Holy Grail goal. He describes his character as “perhaps the least brave of all of King Arthur’s knights. But he has a lot of heart and he’s going on a journey to figure out what he most wants in life.” Instead of taking up lance and sword as knights are expected to do, what he really wants is a way to become a star on Broadway, specifically to do musical theater.
Acting in Spamalot and being Robin delights Bell to no end. He grew up watching Flying Circus sketches and believes Spamalot is a “well-crafted comedy that stands the test of time.
“It allows itself to be updated quite a bit because there’s a lot of improv and certain jokes that can be adjusted and changed for modern audiences and that’s exactly what we’ve done in this production.” Of all the characters, Lancelot gets the most opportunity to adlib on stage, Bell says.
In addition to performing his Broadway song, the show requires Bell to dance while he’s singing it. He’s a little nervous about the tour stop in the higher altitudes of Denver; he often finds himself out of breath at the end of the fast-paced song as it is.
Bell says he’s been surprised by all the audience members, especially youngsters, who know all the words to the script and songs. “We’ll have people say lines with us or respond to the Knights of Ni. They already know what’s coming before we say it. I was surprised there were so many younger Python fans and Spamalot fans. “
Bell grew up in New Jersey and began doing community theater at a young age. He watched a lot of movie musicals and listened to a lot of cast albums growing up. He went to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and finished his BFA at The New School, both in New York City.
He says his parents are creative people but not theater artists. Although “I just recently learned that my great grandmother was a vaudeville performer of some note. So it’s in my blood.”
Bell says he likes musical theater for bringing together three of his favorite things: music, storytelling and dance. “I think it’s one of the most accessible art forms.
“We all know it’s tough times right now in the world. One of the things I keep hearing at the stage door from people who have seen the show is “Oh my God, I needed that laugh. I needed something fun and light and silly. And this is exactly what the doctor ordered.”
Performances are scheduled for April 15 – 26 at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and Sundays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at the Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. For more information, call 713-558-8887 or visit tuts.org. $46-$169.
