Went to see the 40th-anniversary re-release (we-welease) of Monty Python's The Life Of Brian with Gemma and Hy Money at Scott Cinemas East Grinstead last night.
We were all given a Limited Edition Pack filled with lots of silly things: a fake beard, a reprint of an article by Sanjeev Bhaskar about the film, an info sheet on the film which included origami instructions on how to turn the sheet into a boulder (could come in handy for a stoning), the movie's song lyrics, a sheet of silly stickers and the movie poster.
It was great seeing the film yet again. Hearing the audience laugh adds another dimension to the enjoyment of watching movies that you just don't get when with home viewing.
Gemma, pretending to be a man, thanks to the fake beard in the pack
The trouble was, I didn't have a very good view; I was right at the top and right at the back. I was too far away to properly see any detail on stage and the sound quality, from where I was standing, was awful so I couldn't hear very well either.
So it was wonderful, last night, to have seen everything I had missed, with close ups of every nuance of each of the performers who, I can see now, exude professionalism out of every pore. Respect! to Shannon Mercer, William Fergusson, Rosalind Plowright and Christopher Purves - and, of course, John Du Prez and Eric Idle.
It was interesting to see how they had edited it - but I think I'm going to have to write a letter about how much was lost from the scene where Gilliam is 'over amorous' to Carol Cleveland during "Find Your Dream". It was almost edited out for goodness sake!
Really enjoyed the show and had a wonderful time, so thanks again Eric! .
Royal Albert Hall, London, Fri 23 Oct 09 - An extremely special occasion where, at last, I get to meet Eric Idle!
Eric idle and me! Eric is holding a copy of the new book Monty Python Live!
I arrived at the stage door mid afternoon to learn that Eric had recently popped out. This was good news, because it meant he had to come back in at some point, which he duly did, so I finally got to say hello and get a photo!
When you meet someone you've admired all your life, it's difficult to know what to say in the several milliseconds you have to share with them. I could have said thank you for the years of fun he had given me since I got into Python at the age of 13, but there wasn't time and I figured he'd heard that one many times before anyway; I could have told him that I adore 'Nuns on the Run', or how much I love this or that sketch (but which one - there are so many!); I could have asked him to say a few words from a sketch like "Burley Ivan Crab" or "As long as it's warm and wet" or "You've got the wrong map there - that's Stalingrad. You wouldn't have had much fun in Stalingrad" but that's a bit naff really; I could have told him that I had seen Spamalot 6 times, been backstage, blogged about it, knew Nina Söderquist was going to get the part of Lady of the Lake, saw her first ever performance, went to Spamalot London's last ever performance - but he would have probably thought I was bonkers; I could have told him how I have a credit on Monty Python - Almost The Truth - The Lawyer's Cut for the research I did to help the production team, but it never occurred to me in all the excitement - (maybe it would have scored me an Eric Idle Brownie point!).
I realise now that what I should have said was to ask him a question rather than whitter on about my thoughts or feelings. I would love to know what the proudest moment of his career is. He must have several high points in mind, but I imagine one of them must be Friday's show - with an entire orchestra and full choir behind him and a full house of five-and-a-half thousand very happy people in front of him all waving candles and singing along to his music!
What I did say was to tell him it was me who asked the question about why he was still singing his corrected lyrics of the Galaxy Song when an astrophysicist had found that the original lyrics were correct after all (to which he'd replied, on Pythonline, "I wish they'd make up their fucking minds!"). I think he was suitably unimpressed actually, but it was on his way in to do the performance and that's always the worse time to talk to a performer about anything. I knew that, but I didn't know, then, that I was going to get a chance to see him on his way out as well.
I have now met all the surviving members of Monty Python. Regretfully, I never met Graham Chapman.
While waiting for the show to start, I met a Japanese Python fan, Shuji Tohyama, who told me that he was SO into Monty Python, he decided, several years ago, to move over here and live in the UK!
Shuji Tohyama - probably the most dedicated Japanese Monty Python fan ever
The display of merchandise that Shuji is standing in front of included a pair of boxer shorts with "Biggus Dickus" printed on the front and "Incontinentia Buttocks" printed on the back!; and a poster that read, "400th Anniversary of Monty Python - At last a legitimate reason to repackage all those old movies". That's one of the things I love about Python - their honesty!
What was so lovely was that everybody looking at that display was smiling. I think all the Pythons really wanted to do, actually, (other than unashamedly make oodles of money) was to tell us not to take life too seriously, to lighten up and to have fun.
The Python merchandise display window
The show then started with a glorious full-blast version of Sousa's "Liberty Bell". I had a standing ticket in the top gallery (only opened for sell-out concerts) and I put myself dead centre where the view of the auditorium was all encompassing but it was too far away to see faces on the stage properly. The sound was pretty awful too but it didn't matter because it was being filmed (by 12 cameras no less! ) so I'll just get the DVD when it's out.
My ticket
What a show it was too! So original: the story of The Life of Brian, told in operatic style. It is, in fact, an oratorio. The highlights for me were: You're the One;
The BBC Symphy Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Chorus and the Pipes and Drums of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards conducted by John Du Prez (who also wrote 'Not the Messiah' together with Eric)
the re-enactment of the "Crucifiction scene"; the moment where Terry Gilliam molests Carol Cleveland during "Find Your Dream"; Terry Gilliam's (We're all individuals) "I'm not"; and, of course, the surprise rendition of the Lumberjack Song as the encore. What a treat for us that was!
When I got home at 4.30am, I realised I had been standing, continuously, for almost 12 hours! The whole thing was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience and I had such a good time! Along with the times I met the other Pythons, this will remain one of the most memorable days of my life.
We did it! All 5,567 of us, packed into Trafalgar Square yesterday (St George's Day) and issued with free coconuts, got into the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest coconut orchestra!
The day was made extra special for me because both Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones were there, as well as the entire cast of Spamalot!
As you can see, Harry & I had a fantastic afternoon:
We even got on TV - on ITV London's 6pm news bulletin. They asked us if we knew what St George's Day was all about - we didn't which was exactly what they wanted to hear.
Well, Harry couldn't wait - the queue to the loo was too long!
Some peasants turned up for the event.
There's another one!
Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam encouraging us to go and see Spamalot "because Eric Idle's house in LA is very large and very expensive to maintain".
Michael England, orchestra leader for Spamalot conducts the crowd into the Guinness Book of World Records.
Hannah Waddingham (the Lady of the Lake) with Terry Gilliam, the original Patsy from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, doing the face he used for the part.
Terry Jones holds up the Guinness Book of World Records certificate. We did it!
See also the following articles (can you spot Harry & I in the photos & videos?):
Yes, we love Spamalot so much, we've seen it 3 times now: for my birthday, for Harry's birthday party and, yesterday, for Harry's actual birthday. The show was excellent as ever.
It worked out so well as we had great seats and, funnily enough, we got to meet (and photograph) all the cast members we missed last time. And here are the photos to prove it:
In front of the Palace Theatre, moments before the start of the 3pm matinee performance, Tues 17 Apr 07.
Harry at the stage door after the show.
Harry hanging around waiting to meet the cast.
With Graham MacDuff who plays Sir Dennis Galahad, The Black Knight and Prince Herbert’s Father. Harry asked Graham to sing "Now we're into E!" from 'The song that goes like this" in a squeeky voice and he did! With Tony Timberlake (left) who plays Sir Bedevere, Mrs Galahad and Concorde and Darren Southworth who plays the Historian,Not Dead Fred, a French Guard, a Minstrel and Prince Herbert. With Robert Hands who plays Sir Robin, Guard 1 and Brother Maynard. Harry asked him not to poop his pants - he promised he wouldn't!
Harry & me on stage, taken by Ben Jefferson himself - the Spamalot company manager!
What a fantastic time we had - the Spamalot team are such a friendly bunch of people!
Our Spamalot adventure is still not over yet because we are going to see the cast again and break a world record with them on St George's Day (23 Apr 07) in Trafalgar Square.
Harry and I went to see Monty Python's Spamalot a few months ago as a birthday treat for me. We loved it so much, we went to see it again last night (23 March 2007) as a birthday treat for Harry, together with 2 of his friends, Chiara and Robin.
Robin, Chiara (chewing bubble gum, blowing a bubble) and Harry standing in front of the main entrance of the Palace Theatre, London before the show.
Harry, Robin and Chiara in the Grand Circle (3rd level up) - dead centre. Great view!
After the show, we waited in the cold at the stage door to meet as many of the cast as possible. We even missed the last train home but it was well worth it!
With David Birrell who plays King Arthur's trusty servant Patsy (and several other characters)With Simon Russell Beale who plays King ArthurWith Tom Goodman-Hill who plays Sir Lancelot, French Taunter, The Knight who says 'Ni!' and Tim the Enchanter. Here, he is saying to Harry, "I fart in your general direction and your mother was a hampster and your father [pointing to me!] smelt of elderberries!"
With the make-up and costume girls. They never get the praise and attention they deserve!
With Hannah Waddingham (see also www.hannahwaddingham.com) with water bottle in hand at all times, the Lady of the Lake, who spent so much time with the kids and was SO friendly. She is really lovely and a true diva with THE most fantastic voice!
Guess what? We are bound to go and see Spamalot again before too long because it is such a blast!
If you liked this article, then I'm hoping you might want to contribute to this one:
The existence of such a list has never been possible before now, now that Wikipedia includes listings on almost everything!
It is essentially a 3-column table (but in bullet-point form) with the first column being the 'thing' that is mentioned or referred to in a TV sketch, movie, song, book etc plus a link to its own Wikipedia entry; the second column is a brief reminder of its useage; and the last column gives the source i.e. the specific sketch, book, record etc that it came from.
All I need you to do is to think of a 'thing' from anywhere in Monty Python (not already listed) which you particularly like or know well (there's plenty to choose from such as Kierkegaard, wainscoting, herring, shrubbery...). Then go into the above Wikipedia page, click Edit this page, then add your item to the list in the correct place, alphabetically, then click 'Save page'.
To show you how to write it in correct Wikipedia language, here is an example of a line already appearing in the article:
Parrot; Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, ain't it, hey? Beautiful plumage; Dead Parrot, TV Series 1, Episode 8
Please note, the second column does not have to be a quote. It could just as well be a brief description of how or where the item was used. And regarding the source in the third column, you are very likely to find within Wikipedia's enties on Monty Python, everything you need to know regarding where the item came from.
This exercise will produce a long eclectic mix of references which will end up becoming the 'Enclopedia according to Monty Python'! i.e. an encyclopedia within an encyclopedia, thus providing yet another dimension of humour in this material for ardent Python fans the world over.
Hope you have fun doing this and thank you for your help! If you get stuck on any Python or Wikipedia matters, just send me a comment.
That's me with Terry Gilliam in '91. I should have gone to Specsavers!
