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The Spamalot Diaries
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Narrated by:
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Eric Idle
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Alan Tudyk
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By:
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Eric Idle
About this listen
The inside story of what it took to bring Monty Python and the Holy Grail to Broadway as the unlikely theatrical hit Spamalot, told through actual diary entries from the legendary comic performer, founding member of Monty Python, and New York Times bestselling author
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 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—revealing 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.
©2024 Eric Idle (P)2024 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“Idle provides a rollicking account of the making of his 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)
“Quite simply wonderful . . . This is so much more than a making-of book; it’s also a portrait of Eric Idle in the kind of detail that a more traditional memoir of Spamalot’s creation might not have provided.”—Booklist
“Spirited and exceedingly witty . . . 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. . . . The backstage story of one of the most successful musicals will appeal to theater buffs and fans of Monty Python.”—Library Journal
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By: Neil Strauss - contributor, and others
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The Best Man's Ghostwriter
- By: Matthew Starr
- Narrated by: Glen Powell, Nicholas Braun, Ashley Park, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
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A bad best man’s speech can ruin a wedding. Why do we plan every detail of a perfect day and then give the groom’s idiot best friend five minutes of total power? Enter Nate (Glen Powell), a speechwriter-for-hire who helps people write incredible best man speeches. To keep the best man from embarrassing himself (and the newlyweds), Nate uses his list of don’ts: Don’t mention the exes, don’t be rated R, and don’t bum everyone out. Nate’s system never fails. That is, until he meets Dan (Nicholas Braun).
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SO GOOD
- By Csutty on 09-23-24
By: Matthew Starr
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We know him best for his unforgettable roles on Monty Python - from the Flying Circus to The Meaning of Life. Now, Eric Idle reflects on the meaning of his own life in this entertaining memoir that takes us on an unforgettable journey from his childhood in an austere boarding school through his successful career in comedy, television, theater, and film.
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I'm Famous...and You're Not...
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Perhaps the ultimate in TV comedy madness and absurdity, this cult series, which began in 1969, inspired many of today's writers and performers. This audio programme features many of the legendary sketches, songs, and catchphrases, including "The Dead Parrot", "The Ministry of Silly Walks", "The Lumberjack Song", "And Now for Something Completely Different", and many more.
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Over the next ten years, we watch through Michael's eyes as the world reels from the successive shocks of September 11, the 7/7 bombings and the global financial crash. With the warmth and gentle empathy that have endeared millions of fans to him over the decades, Michael documents the day-to-day detail of living in a world buffeted by such powerful winds of change.
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I never knew he lived so close to me .
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The Diary of a Sometime Python
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So, Anyway...
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Too many people reviewing the man, not the book.
- By Barry on 03-14-17
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Creativity
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I want to give this book a million stars but they won’t let me.
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Overall
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Classic Monty Python
- By Andrew Moore on 06-22-08
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There and Back
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- Length: 27 hrs and 27 mins
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I never knew he lived so close to me .
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Too many people reviewing the man, not the book.
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Mel Brooks' own words telling all about the players, the filming, and studio antics during the production of this great comedy classic. The audiobook is alive and teeming with hundreds of photos, original interviews, and hilarious commentary. Young Frankenstein was made with deep respect for the craft and history of cinema-and for the power of a good schwanzstucker joke. This audiobook will also rely on interviews with gifted director of photography Gerald Hirschfeld, Academy Award-winning actress Cloris Leachman, and veteran producer Michael Gruskoff.
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too short
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music incredibly distracting and annoying
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Monty Python's Tunisian Holiday
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In 1978, Kim "Howard" Johnson ran away to join the circus - Monty Python's Flying Circus, that is. The Pythons converged on Tunisia to film their timeless classic Life of Brian, and Howard found himself in the thick of it, doubling for nearly all the Pythons, playing more roles in the film than John Cleese, and managing to ruin only one shot. He became the unit journalist, substitute still photographer, Roman soldier, peasant, near-stalker, and, ultimately, friend and confidant of the comedy legends.
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A boring log book.
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Story
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Trite!
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Join the Owl and the Pussycat on their long journey to save the walking, talking Bong Tree in this clever story filled with love and laughter, silly songs, fabulous felines, vile villains, precocious pie-rats, and lots more to tickle one's fancy. Enhanced by an original musical score that contains 10 hysterical songs.
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A charming tale with funny songs; a total delight.
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Travelling to Work
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- Unabridged
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Travelling to Work is the third volume of Michael Palin's widely acclaimed diaries. After the Python years and a decade of filming, writing and acting, Palin's career takes an unexpected direction into travel, which will shape his working life for the next 25 years. Yet, as the diaries reveal, he remained ferociously busy on a host of other projects throughout this whirlwind period.
By: Michael Palin
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Kiss Me Like a Stranger
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- Unabridged
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Gene Wilder is one of the great comic actors who defined the 1970s and 1980s in movies. From his work with Woody Allen, to the rich group of movies he made with Mel Brooks, to his partnership on screen with Richard Pryor, Wilder's performances are still discussed and celebrated today.
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Interesting for a number of factors.
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Some years ago a stash of family records was handed down to Michael Palin, among which were photos of an enigmatic young man in army uniform, as well as photos of the same young man as a teenager looking uncomfortable at family gatherings. This, Michael learned, was his Great-Uncle Harry, born in 1884, died in 1916. He had previously had no idea that he had a Great-Uncle Harry, much less that his life was cut short at the age of 32 when he was killed in the Battle of the Somme. The discovery both shocked him and made him want to know much more.
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A love story.
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Superlative rendering of a singular story.
- By Laura Davis on 11-28-15
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Scattershot
- Life, Music, Elton, and Me
- By: Bernie Taupin
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This is the memoir music fans have been waiting for. Half of one of the greatest partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records. Together, they were a duo, a unit, an immovable object. Their extraordinary, half-century-and-counting creative relationship has been chronicled in biopics (like 2019's Rocketman) and even John's own autobiography, Me. But Taupin, a private person, has kept his own account of their adventures close to his chest, until now.
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Not Boring, A Relaxing Listen
- By jipickin on 09-14-23
By: Bernie Taupin
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Karma
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- By: Boy George
- Narrated by: Boy George
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Boy George's compelling storytelling shines a light on his encounters with legendary figures like David Bowie, Prince, and Madonna, providing an intimate peek into the music industry's glittering world. Humor, sarcasm, and signature style are brought to this explosive and honest account of Boy George's life as a child growing up in sixties London and coming out to his Irish Catholic family. Hear his account of his exploration of his sexuality through the hedonism of the seventies (the glam rock and punk rock revolution that birthed Culture Club) and his ultimately embracing who he is today.
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Humble and Honest
- By Sue Reed on 02-10-24
By: Boy George
What listeners say about The Spamalot Diaries
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Lownote DH
- 10-26-24
Humor
Eric Idle and Alan Tudyk are very funny and this book is outstanding. Well worth the time to enjoy
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- Raquel Luciana da Motta Silva
- 12-15-24
thank you, Eric
i thoroughly enjoyed this reading. i listened primarily during breakfast time so it felt like I was having coffee with Eric, as he spoke of his journey with this production. A sheer delight.
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- librarian
- 10-22-24
Collaboration with all the rough edges
I never saw Spamalot but enjoyed this book. Collaboration has rough edges and he didn’t sand them down.
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- Book Fan
- 02-08-25
As funny as the musical
For those of us who wondered how the sausage was made when developing a musical, this is a great listen. Behind the scenes efforts, dispute resolution, collaboration and more with the author’s extraordinary humor wrapping up everything.
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- ValG
- 10-25-24
I want to see the show again
Interesting behind the scene look at making a Broadway musical
I now want to go see the sshow again
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- David Berry
- 11-22-24
Great fun and very informative
It was a real pleasure to hear Eric Idol himself narrate his book, giving a backstage look about the creation of Spamalot.
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- D. Munro
- 12-02-24
Great ride
A good listen with insight into the work of making musical theater told by a funny, brilliant, tireless guy from Monty Python's Flying Circus.
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- Anonymous User
- 01-23-25
Eric Idle’s wonderful narration.
Totally enjoyable! What a fun , insightful listen from beginning to end. Brings all the joy of Monty Python blended with lots of behind the scenes insights into how it all comes together . Thank you Eric Idle
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- Amazon Customer
- 10-18-24
Not my cup of tea
The self congratulatory tone became redundant. Particularly annoying were references to “a song that went like this …” followed by silence.
It’s an audio book. You wrote the tunes. Perhaps you could hum a few bars for reference?
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- Steve
- 11-26-24
Holy Grail or Epic Fail?
I'll start by stating I am a fan of Monty Python. I rarely write critical reviews, but I made an exception here. While Eric Idle’s work has undeniably shaped comedy, The Spamalot Diaries left me conflicted.
Eric Idle seems to me, to present himself of something of a Diva; constantly seeking adulation for his brilliant work. Maybe that's the culture of Broadway productions and shame on Eric for falling into it.
His writing the book smacks a bit of trying to squeeze just a little bit more juice from the Holy Grail franchise. I obtained the title with the 3 for 1 promotion Audible had going on, so technically it was free. I wish Audible could refund the time I put into listening to it.
In wrapping up, the only bright spot is Eric's narration. Even the most horrendous of stories seem funnier when read by a Brit. Unfortunately, it’s not quite enough to save the overall experience.
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