What's Hot From Spamalot

• Today's first story should be more like "What's Hot on The Road to Spamalot". This is from The Daily Times, Salisbury MD and they have a bus ready to roll on to New York:

  Bus trip planned to 'Spamalot' Show
  REHOBOTH BEACH -- Clear Space Productions in Rehoboth Beach will sponsor a bus trip to New York City to see "Monty Python's Spamalot" on Broadway starring American Idol's Clay Aiken on Saturday, April 12.
  
  The cost for the trip is $125 and includes tickets to the matinee at the Shubert Theatre, transportation, breakfast, a snack and beverage for the return trip, driver tip and tolls.
  
  The luxury coach bus leaves from the Kmart parking lot at 7 a.m. and arrives at the Shubert in New York by 11 a.m., with time for sightseeing and lunch prior to the matinee. The bus will leave for the return trip at 7 p.m.
  
  For reservations, call 302-644-3810.

Here are a couple of reviews from Clay's weekend shows.

• From desertflower at CV via lilred at The Clayboard

  From a Broadway Message Board (no not BWW), one that hasn't been discovered by fans yet. (Checked his previous posts and he has never posted about Clay before..and yeah it is a guy)
  
  QUOTE Saw Spamalot this evening. The show is decent shape. Not the cleanest on Broadway but respectable.
  
  I was however, completely blown away by Clay Aiken. I went in expecting to think 'He held his own with the cast'. He was hands down the most engaging principal in the show tonight. He made bold choices (maybe was given them, who knows?) and really went for the physical comedy as well as word play.
  

Bolding is mine in this quote. What a great review by a non-Clay fan!

• Zippy888 at The Clayboard:

  Just got back from this evening's show:
  
  So much laughter and energy in this show. Lots of NJUs and quite a few Clay fans. Clay and company really fed off the energy from the audience tonight. During "YWSIB", he did the cossack dance with a little smirk on his face. I was seated in D107 and he was coming right at me again! After Clay's "YWSIB", he gave the most brilliant smile! The drunken soldier scene drew so much laughter from the audience and there were 2 women that just cracked up during the scene and one in particular, lost it.
  
  We sat beside the friends of Matt Crowley (replacement for Prince Herbert- Sat's shows). I told her that I was in B101 yesterday and told her to inform Matt that we thought that his version of Herbert was fantastic.
  
  Clay wore the green Carolina hoodie again tonight. There were about 2 rows deep of people at the barricades. Clay even signed someone's crutch! I've got video but will have to wait till I get home to put it up.
  
  Tonight, we got the coloured Spamalot Playbill.
  
  So sad it was our last show. Going home tomorrow. It has been the best weekend in NYC ever!!

• Moonstone07 from The Clayboard:

  Sunday March 2 Matinee: Wow, wow, wow. This was my second time seeing the show - this time from the front row, very close to the center. I couldn't believe how close everything is. You are right up against the orchestra pit rail and maybe 5-6 feet from the edge of the stage. From that distance you can see so many details that are not visible from further back (was in eighth row orchestra for my first show). The orchestra section seemed full, not sure about mezzanine or balcony. I believe it was mostly NJU.
  
  Clay was wonderful. He definitely seems very comfortable with the choreography and steps, shakes and shimmies with natural ease. He looks like he totally enjoys it, too.
  
  I did not see the coconut scene in the tower because we were late arriving to the theater (yes, heartbreaking). During the Camelot scene when he sees the girls, he stared mesmerized at one and said "Oh my god". He and the other knights all talk a lot among themselves during this scene, completely in character. In fact, they did so at many other places in the show when not the main focus of the scene. There is so much going on at any one time that it is hard to decide what to watch.
  
  Clay's voice sounded spectacular during the "idol on the stage" part - like he was made for Broadway. His facial expressions during the minstrel's song about the horrible ways he could die were priceless. I believe he has really mastered the character of Robin . He does so in a wonderful, animated sort of way very different from David Hyde Pierce (who is also quite good). When lying "dead" after being killed as the drunken guard, he was only a few feet away from me. I watched him breath and for some reason focused on his fine looking hand holding onto his sword. His fingers never moved from their position.
  
  The knights who say Ni added some Three Stooges snippets and mentioned Moe, Larry and Curly. During the Black Knight scene, one of the knight's arms flew down the steps and landed on the floor in the audience. When the "arms for the poor" collector came to pick them up, someone (I think Patsy) had to rush down there and get it. Also, during that scene, from up front you could see a little of the red stringy blood stuff hanging out of the Black Knight's knee during the whole thing before his legs were cut off.
  
  Unfortunately, Tom Deckman wasn't there again. The show is definitely not the same without him. Tom's Herbert seems so vulnerable and lovable, and I found myself feeling compassion for him when he would make those sad faces. I didn't quite get that with the understudy. That is all I can think of for now. If I remember more details perhaps I will add them later.