Your father smelled of elderberries... check.

Your grandmother could only climax while being pecked on the head by a magpie... what?

Comedian Frank Woodley is looking forward to putting his own spin on the Taunting Frenchmen, one of the most-quoted characters from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and its musical version, Spamalot.

Woodley joins fellow stars Jon English, Simon Gallaher and Julie Anthony for Harvest Rain's production of Spamalot, playing Thursday to Sunday at the QPAC Concert Hall.

He said director Tim O'Conner had given him permission to improvise some extra insults by the character made famous by John Cleese.

"No-one has ever left a show I've been involved in and said to a friend, you know, that was too tight," said Woodley.

But at Thursday's sneak peek, the 46-year-old was so busy coming up with new lines and adults-only hand gestures that he forgot the Frenchman's classic insult, "I fart in your general direction".

English takes on the King Arthur role with Gallaher as his faithful servant Patsy, 30 years after the pair officially opened QPAC in The Pirates of Penzance.

"It's like an old boot, it fits," English said.

Gallaher said the comedic style suits the pair: "Pirates was always Pythonesque too."

Legendary soprano Julie Anthony said Gallaher's pulling power dragged her out of a three-year, cake-baking retirement to stretch her vocal chords – and her legs – as The Lady of the Lake.

She told Woodley his antics have the cast falling over themselves behind the scenes.

"We're all having a fit back there because it's hugely different but within the framework and within the script and you somehow manage to find another way to come at it which is basically, it's terrific, she said.

Woodley, best known for his stand-up comedy including his work as half of Lano and Woodley, was equally full of praise for Anthony.

"The Lady of the Lake? I've been a fan since you were a girl in the pond," he said.

Due to popular demand, an extra performance of Spamalot has been scheduled for Sunday October 5. Tickets from $69 available online.