The Spamalot Diaries

Hit musicals don’t spring fully formed from the head of Dionysus, the Greek god of theater. Creating a show and getting it to Broadway can take years and involve the work of dozens of people and numerous rewrites. Idle (Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography) shares his journal while developing the 2005 musical Spamalot, adapted from his 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. From its first table read and rehearsal in New York to its tryout in Chicago and its eventual Broadway opening and subsequent run, it’s all in spirited and exceedingly witty prose. Idle’s observations are sharp and clever, and his descriptions of his time in New York City are evocative. It’s exciting and very entertaining reading, especially the hilarious emails between Idle and the show’s director, Mike Nichols. Some cast members (including Tim Curry and David Hyde Pierce) also make appearances, as do the writing staff, crew, producers, and more than a few of Idle’s celebrity friends.