annieb123's Review of The Spamalot Diaries

by Eric Idle

“A rollicking account of the making of [the] Broadway musical Spamalot [and] an irresistible and unfiltered ode to the art of live theater. Fans will love this tantalizing glimpse behind the curtain.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

From comedy legend Eric Idle, the fascinating inside story of bringing Monty Python and the Holy Grail to Broadway as the unlikely theatrical hit Spamalot

On March 17, 2005, Spamalot debuted on Broadway to rapturous reviews for its star-studded creative team, including creators Eric Idle and John du Prez, director Mike Nichols, and stars Hank Azaria, David Hyde Pierce, Sara Ramirez, Tim Curry, and more. But long before the show was the toast of Broadway and the winner of three Tony Awards, it was an idea threatening to fizzle out before it could find its way into existence.

Now, in The Spamalot Diaries, Eric Idle shares original journal entries and raw email exchanges—all featuring his whip-smart wit—that reveal the sometimes bumpy, always entertaining path to the show’s unforgettable run. In the months leading up to that opening night, financial anxieties were high with a low-ceiling budget and expectations that it would take two years to break even. Collaborative disputes put decades-long friendships to the test. And the endless process of rewriting was a task as passionate as it was painstaking. Still, there’s nothing Idle would change about that year. Except for the broken ankle. He could do without the broken ankle.

Chronicling every minor mishap and triumph along the way, as well as the creative tension that drove the show to new heights, The Spamalot Diaries is an unforgettable look behind the curtain of a beloved musical and inside the wickedly entertaining mind of one of our most treasured comic performers.

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Spamalot Diaries is Eric Idle's wonky and often moderately humorous recollections surrounding the writing/staging/&production, bringing Monty Python's Holy Grail to Broadway. Released 8th Oct 2024 by Crown Publishing, it's 208 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is, chiefly, a well-edited transcription of Mr. Idle's diaries from the time when he and the other chief agents were working to get the project off the ground. It's amazing how much serendipity, happenstance, and sweat is involved in bringing any creative project to fruition, if this one is anything to go by.

There are behind-the-scenes stories aplenty as well as his interpretations and "as recollected by" dialogue interspersed between the diary entries.

Four stars. It's an interesting book, not screamingly funny, but definitely worth a look, especially for fans of the author, of Spamalot, and of the original Python troupe. It would be a good choice for public or secondary school library acquisition, as well as for home reading.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading updates

28 October, 2024: Started reading

28 October, 2024: Finished reading

28 October, 2024: Reviewed