London Planning to Break Spamalot-Led "Largest Coconut Orchestra" Record

By Zachary Pincus-Roth
April 4, 2007

In a promotional event for the West End production of Monty Python's Spamalot, the city of London plans to break the Guinness world record for the "World's Largest Coconut Orchestra" on April 23, as part of the festivities for the UK holiday of St. George's Day.

London will have to pass the mark of 1,789 coconuts set by New York fans of the musical in Shubert Alley in March 2006. The city hopes at least 2,000 people will come to Trafalgar Square, where cast members from Spamalot will lead the audience in a "clip-clop" coconut clap in time to the famed Monty Python song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," which is in the show.

Aspiring tropical fruit percussionists should register by 6:30 PM; teaching by the Spamalot cast begins at 6:45 PM; and the record will be broken at 7 PM. Coconuts will be provided. The evening will end with a screening of the classic film "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," the musical's source material, at 7:30 PM.

London's mayor Ken Livingstone said in a statement: "English comedy is internationally acclaimed and the Monty Python film screening and the coconut orchestra world record attempt illustrate the uniqueness of English humour."

The Guinness Book of Records has been invited to verify the number of people on hand.

British comedy films and TV show clips will be screened in Trafalgar Square all day from 12:30 PM-9 PM. St. George's Day events last April 21-23.

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Spamalot tells the tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table on their quest from God for the Holy Grail — with a short stop in the dazzling Spam-filled land of Camelot.

The musical features a book by Eric Idle based on the screenplay he co-wrote with Monty Python creators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The new score — with music and lyrics by Idle and composer John Du Prez ("A Fish Called Wanda") — includes songs ("Brave Sir Robin" and "Knights of the Round Table") from the original film as well as the Python signature "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life."

Spamalot took home prizes at the 2005 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Direction (Nichols) and Best Featured Actress (Sara Ramirez). The original Decca Broadway cast album earned the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.

In addition to the West End production at the Palace Theatre, the show is on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre, on a national U.S. tour and in Las Vegas at the Grail Theatre in the Wynn Las Vegas resort.