THIS week Edinburgh King’s theatre is presenting the rip-snorting, hilarious musical that is Monty Python’s Spamalot, writes our Theatre critic Kerry Black.

Billed as “a new musical, lovingly ripped off from the motion picture, Monty Python and the Holy Grail”, the show written by Eric Idle and John Du Prez, mercilessly squeezes out every joke from the 1975 movie while parodying many other famous musicals too!

Interestingly, the original film was shot at Doune Castle, now home to TV’s Outlander!

I have seen Spamalot several times and was delighted to be involved in the Fife Amateur Premiere of it with Kelty Musical earlier this year.

What I truly loved about this Selladoor production is how they brought so many new and fresh angles to the gags, with the minimum cast!

The original film was famed for the fact that the cast played multiple roles and this show was no exception. My particular favourite was the hysterical Mark Akinfolarin, billed as Sir Bedevere, his role as Dennis’s mother, complete with 70s porn star moustache and Les Dawson style boobs was comedy genius!

The show had everything you expect from Spamalot. Sarah Harlington was a brilliant Lady of the Lake, her lipstick stoked rendition of “Whatever Happened To My Part” showed off her incredible vocal range and comedic talents!

Spamalot always stays topical and their “You Won’t Succeed In Showbiz”, lampooned everything from Am Dram, to Trump to Edinburgh itself!

Local lad, Stephen Arden, as the cowardly Sir Robin proved he could sing and dance (sometimes even at the same time, as the show says) and deserved his role as resident director. Norton James played the overblown Galahad with suitable gusto, his boat scene with the Lady of the Lake, while obviously culled from Phantom, was a true highlight, especially when the boat was yanked off by a great muckle rope!

With lovely lighting and set design, the choreographer, Ashley Nottingham, deserves a special mention for creating big dance numbers with only two female dancers! There can’t be many shows which expect you to transform from a dead peasant to a glittering Vegas style showgirl!

With a suitably dorky narrator guiding us through their plague strewn path to the grail, there were lots of fabulous wee cameo roles, from an umbrella toting Knight of Ni, to a disgruntled Tim The Enchanter, who had to shove on his own scenery, adopt a Scottish accent and try to stay balanced on a crate, the entire cast worked in unison to bring together a fabulously funny show!

Special mention must go to the audience member who dressed as a member of the Spanish Inquisition! I have never, ever seen anyone dressing as a Monty Python character before, to paraphrase them, “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition in Edinburgh King’s!”

Spamalot is on at Edinburgh King’s Theatre until Saturday September 30, nightly at 7.30pm plus matinees. Telephone 0131 529 6000 or book direct at www.edtheatres.com.