JUST under five years ago when Daniel Buckroyd became the new artistic director of the Mercury Theatre in Colchester, one of his many promises included bringing the professional musical back to the town.

Well he's certainly done that - and he's about to do it again with the award winning West End and Broadway smash hit, Monty Python's Spamalot.

It's the latest in a long line of brilliant shows which started off with the hugely acclaimed The Hired Man back in 2013.

Since then Betty Blue Eyes, The Smallest Show on Earth, End of the Rainbow and last November's smash hit Sweeney Todd have well and truly put the Mercury on the musical map.

Daniel says: "I feel very proud of what we have set in motion and that includes many different areas from developing new talent, creating a new space for work with the Studio Theatre and of course growing our audience.

"You could say Spamalot is diametrically opposed to all the new work and talent we're developing because it's tried and tested. Right from the outset we knew it would have a broad appeal but that's all part of getting new people into the theatre.

"What's really interesting is our recent nomination for regional theatre of the year, which was founded on what we set out to do locally. Our approach has always been to focus on the fundamentals but we've also managed to start making some noises on the nationally which has been very encouraging."

The fruits of which will see this latest production of Spamalot go on a national tour through Selladoor Productions to theatres from Edinburgh to Exeter.

"It's selling faster than any other show that we have put on," he adds, "which is exciting itself but now it has a longer life afterwards that's the cherry on the cake for us.

"One of our early goals with the Made in Colchester shows was to create this sense of something exciting happening here in a creative productive way. To fly the flag further afield and this UK tour of Spamalot will do that."

Lovingly ripped off from the film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot is a riotous comedy full of misfit knights, killer rabbits, dancing nuns and ferocious Frenchmen.

Join King Arthur as he travels around the land gathering his Knights of the Round Table, a band of hapless adventurers who are tasked with a divine mission to locate the elusive Holy Grail – with uproarious consequences.

With comic tunes including Brave Sir Robin, We’re Knights of the Round Table and perennial favourite Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Spamalot features Mercury favourite Dale Superville as well as West End regulars Bob Harms as King Arthur and Sarah Harlington as the Lady of the Lake.

But wait, I hear you cry, Dale is off on tour with Spamalot - what does that mean for this year's pantomime?

Have no fear, Colchester's pantomime equivalent to a Tower of London raven is going no where.

Daniel smiles: "He had the chance to go but decided to stay, which naturally I'm very pleased about. Both he and Antony (Stuart-Hicks - the Mercury's Dame) are important parts of the show. They're a winning combination for us and long may that continue."

Once again Daniel has written the script for the panto, which this year is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and will also once again be in the director's chair for the end of year riot of fun, gags and musical numbers.

"I love helping to put on the panto each year," he adds, "but also growing it as well. I'm delighted that this year's production will be two weeks longer and we're also going to have a late-night performance for adults only.

"Seeing the footprint the show has made in the last few years has been particularly pleasing. Audiences should have the most amazing experience and that's why we pull out all the stops year on year.

"I remember saying, really early on when I first came here, that people know quality when they see it and if you're not looking after your audience properly then you're not doing your job. We are constantly focussed on that."

And Daniel resolutely intends to make sure that's also the case with the Mercury's summer show, Peter Pan, which starts its run at the end of July.

Featuring Pete Ashmore, who has been in both of the Mercury's other summer family shows, James and the Giant Peach and last year's Wind in the Willows, the show is being co-directed by Daniel alongside Matthew Cullum, who took on the directorial reigns for the last two shows.

"I just love working with Matt," he explains. "I worked with him before on Friend and Foe and I think we compliment each other quite well in terms of telling a good story but also making it visually stunning on stage.

"Perhaps some people might see it as a panto but actually that's what it has been turned to in recent years. At its heart Peter Pan is a classic children's play with wonderful bits of magic but also mournful depths and lots of different layers which lends itself to a playful approach to this year's summer family show."

Spamalot

Mercury Theatre,

Balkerne Gate, Colchester.

Tonight, April 21, until May 13. 7.30pm and 2.30pm (Thursdays and Saturdays)

£27 to £12 plus discounts. 01206 573948.

www.mercurytheatre.co.uk