Nina Söderquist crowned 'Lady in Lake' in Spamalot

Nina Söderquist was crowned as the new Lady of the Lake for the West End musical, Monty Python's Spamalot. Having won TV3’s West End Star, going head to head with Linda Holmgren in the Swedish live TV final, Nina received over 59% of the votes from the viewing public declaring her the winner. Söderquist will have her first performance as The Lady of the Lake at the Palace Theatre on Monday 11 February 2008.

A 35 year old singing waitress from Hälsingland, Sweden, and a Lieutenant in the Swedish Army, Nina Söderquist has worked alongside many bands including Toto and The Bee Gees as well as collaborating with US singer Robin Beck. She performed at the Victory Concert for Sweden’s Olympic Gold winning Hockey Team, the Swedish Soccer League at the World Championships in Berlin and has performed in Afghanistan for the American troops.

Söderquist said: “I am so happy to have won West End Star, for a second I thought I was actually going to die on live TV! It’s a dream come true - I can’t quite believe I will be Spamalot’s new Lady of the Lake!” “Before I entered West End Star I had never sung a song from a musical. I had only ever seen one musical my life - Cats as a teenager on a school trip to London.”

West End Star held open auditions during September and October last year in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo where a panel of experts saw over a thousand girls. The five finalists, voted for by the viewing public, have been rehearsing at London’s Palace Theatre with the cast and crew of Monty Python’s SPAMALOT. Over this period the finalists have returned to Sweden once each week to face the judges and the viewing public in a live TV sing-off.

Nina Söderquist will join a cast that includes Peter Davison (King Arthur, from 3 Mar 2008 Alan Dale takes over the role ), Jake Nightingale (Sir Lancelot), Graham McDuff (Sir Dennis Galahad), Andrew Spillett (Patsy), Robert Hands (Sir Robin).

Monty Python's Spamalot, opened on 16 Oct 2006, following previews from 30 Sep, to excellent notices from the popular press: THE INDEPENDENT says, "Deliriously silly and loopily enjoyable evening." THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "Inventive production...It’s a wonderful night"; THE GUARDIAN says, "In short, the show has its moments... Irony has its place but it's not quite enough to sustain a whole evening." THE TIMES says, "Cheerfully mischievous...Silly? Very. Funny? You bet."

The show has a book by Eric Idle, from the screenplay of the Pythons' film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. Featuring a new score with music and lyrics by Eric Idle and John Du Prez. The show also has three songs from the 1975 film.

It is directed by Mike Nichols, Choreography by Casey Nicholaw , costumes & design by Tim Hatley, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, produced by Boyett Ostar Productions.

Telling the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and their quest for the Holy Grail, Monty Python's SPAMALOT features a chorus line of dancing divas (and serfs), flatulent Frenchmen, killer rabbits and a legless knight.

Monty Python's Spamalot is currently taking bookings to 27 Sep 2008.