Galahad Takes a Bath is a comedy play written by Jojo Jones and directed by Carla Troconis. It is being performed on the Studio stage in the ZOO Southside venue.
It stars Forest Malley as Sir Galahad the Pure, knight of the Round Table and son of Sir Lancelot. Performed in the setting of a media interview, Galahad answers questions about his ongoing quest for the Holy Grail. Alongside fielding these questions, Galahad recounts various Arthurian legends to the audience, starting with that of his mother (Elaine of Corbenic) and the relevance of the titular bath.
The initial set-up for the show is intriguing, with a media lectern on the left, a bathtub on the right, and a changing screen in the centre. Beyond this, there is a lantern, which later on in the show, Malley carries around as they recount the legend of the Green Knight—creating an illusion of intimacy, even more profound than when they are in the bath.
Malley’s performance in Galahad Takes a Bath is captivating—they portray the knight as a young, socially awkward man who is struggling with the idea of his destiny. Malley’s acting is often frantic, with wild hand gestures and pacing around the stage in a manner that endears the knight to the audience. The delivery of their lines leaves audiences breathless with laughter while at the same time feeling sympathetic to Galahad’s plight.
Jones’s script is nothing short of hilarious, with little quips, witticisms, and wordplay littered the entire way through. Their writing offers an ironic, modern-day twist on these characters of legend, while also providing some commentary on capitalism and musings on philosophy.
Galahad Takes a Bath is a brilliant piece of absurdist comedy that will have its audiences in stitches. It is a completely different take on Arthurian legend and offers a new kind of depth to “Galahad the Pure” which makes this show entirely unforgettable.
