Review: Spamalot****

It may have only premiered on the British stage four years ago, but Spamalot has become part of touring theatre's fixtures and fittings. Partly it's to do with the familiarity of the material, the sketches lovingly ripped off by Eric Idle from Monty Python and the Holy Grail and partly because it indulges our peculiar love of panto.

It works because it doesn't try too hard and the cast, made up of hapless knights, a couple of rude Frenchmen and one camp prince are clearly enjoying themselves. At its centre stands King Arthur, here played by stand-up comedian and satirist Marcus Brigstocke.

In many ways he was an unlikely choice for a role which is pure silliness, but he more than pulls it off, ably aided and abetted by Todd Carty as Patsy, and his big number I'm All Alone is one of the many highlights. At the end of the run in York, Brigstocke will pass King Arthur's mantel on. His successor Phil Jupitus is not a slight man, but on Brigstocke's performance he will find he has big shoes to fill.

To Nov 27.