Book Review: ‘The Spamalot Diaries’ by Eric Idle
Monty Python is one of those things that you either get, or you don’t. And if you get it, then you love it. Fans worship Monty Python works like they’re a religion. One of their favorite works, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, gave birth to a Broadway musical that is just as loved: Spamalot. While looking through his things, creator Eric Idle found a diary he had kept while creating Spamalot. Encouraged by friends and family, Idle decided to publish this record of Spamalot’s birth. Come along for a fascinating peek behind the curtain in The Spamalot Diaries by Eric Idle.
[Warning: My review of The Spamalot Diaries contains some spoilers!]
The Spamalot Diaries offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Broadway process
Spanning just over a year, The Spamalot Diaries is Eric Idle’s actual diary that he kept while working to bring Spamalot to that stage. It doesn’t cover the entire creation of Spamalot but instead focuses on the year or so spanning from the first table read to the Tony Awards, where Spamalot won Best New Musical.
The Spamalot Diaries starts when Idle arrives in New York City for the first table read of Spamalot. From there, we follow Idle’s emotional highs and lows as they rehearse, rewrite, recast, and almost recreate his baby. Even though it was Idle’s idea to repackage Monty Python and the Holy Grail for the stage, and even though he wrote the original script, he quickly finds out that on Broadway, everyone has an opinion. His remarks, as his script is torn apart, put back together, changed all around, and slowly turned into the beloved creation it is today, are just hilarious.
They’re also rather eye-opening for someone who’s not very well acquainted with the mechanics of Broadway. Personally, I thought that someone just wrote a script and that was basically it. There might be some changes, but by the time you’ve cast the various roles and they’re rehearsing, surely the lines are set? But surprisingly, no. The lines are constantly being reworked, the scenes are being rearranged, things are being added and cut, almost right up to the opening night. In fact, things are even changed after opening night if it’s decided something doesn’t play right with the audiences! This was fascinating to me. Who would have guessed that Broadway was so dynamic? On the other hand, it makes sense. A live show that’s repeated over and over gives the writers a unique chance to get feedback on their work and improve it. It’s actually genius as long as your ego can handle the experience!
Keep in mind, The Spamalot Diaries was never meant to be read by anyone
Most of the time, books are written with the knowledge that someone will eventually be reading them. This affects not only what is written but the style in which it is written. But when Idle was writing his diary it was a personal diary. It was never intended for others to read. When he filled the book, he packed it away with other tokens from his past, never really intending to look at it again. But then he came across it while moving. A friend read it, then his wife, then more friends. Everyone who read it loved it and encouraged Idle to publish it. After some prodding, he agreed.
The diary makes for interesting reading, but it is a little scattered. This isn’t a drawback really. In fact, the diary is surprisingly coherent for a collection of private thoughts. But it doesn’t read as a straightforward history of the creation of Spamalot. Of course, there are a lot of Idle’s personal feelings about what’s happening. Sometimes there is more focus on the relationships than the actual creative process. Sometimes Idle skips a few steps when talking about things. Sometimes he writes things that are worded badly or come across poorly. But because this is more of a train-of-thought personal diary, it all makes sense and doesn’t detract from the story of Spamalot’s creation he’s sharing.
Eric Idle isn’t afraid to share credit
One thing that really struck me as I read The Spamalot Diaries is how humble Idle comes across. Not only is he willing to listen to others’ ideas about Spamalot, but he also allows them to make changes to his baby without too much fuss, as long as the changes make sense. Not only does Idle work well with others, but he’s also very good at giving credit where credit is due. In both the introduction and the afterward, Idle lists many people who helped him achieve his goals. That’s to be expected. Even really awful people know that they’re supposed to thank others in those sections of a book like this. But the interesting thing is that Idle offers others plenty of praise and respect within his diary. Even though he thought no one else would ever read it, he makes sure to note when others have good ideas and is complimentary to everyone who works with him. Considering all the horror stories that you hear about people in show business, it was refreshing to read something so genuinely nice and kind.
A book for Monty Python fans
The Spamalot Diaries is a wonderful jewel for Monty Python fans. Especially fans of the musical Spamalot. They will treasure the inside look at the creation of something that they hold so dear, in the words of the creator himself. But if you’re not a fan, then there’s no real reason to read The Spamalot Diaries. There just won’t be anything to interest nonfans, and there won’t be enough of an actual story to draw them in. But that’s okay because The Spamalot Diaries isn’t intended for a wide audience. It’s meant for those rabid fans who can’t get enough of Monty Python and need something more to feed their hunger. And what a lovely meal it is!
The Spamalot Diaries by Eric Idle is available now! Have you read this novel before? How much do you love Spamalot? Share your thoughts on social media and tag @bsb.insider to continue the conversation!
Monty Python’s Spamalot: Come for the coconuts, stay for the committed chaos
