Monty Python show wows US critics

Monty Python’s Spamalot has won four Outer Critics Circle Awards in the United States, including best Broadway musical.

Eric Idle’s smash musical, based on 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, also picked up awards for director Mike Nichols, actress Sara Ramirez and costume designer Tim Hatley.

Doubt, John Patrick Shanley’s drama about a nun’s suspicions about a parish priest, won four awards including best Broadway play.

The Outer Critics Circle comprises journalists who cover New York theatre for out-of-town organisations.

Spamalot proved an instant hit on Broadway, setting box office records and attracting a diverse sold-out audience since it opened in March.

It has 12 nominations for the Drama Desk Awards, often considered an indicator of June’s prestigious Tonys.

They will be presented on May 22.