Monty Python Live (a 20th Century Vole Production)

"Meep!"

A once-in-a-lifetime experience x 4

How quickly the eight months passed from the day the Monty Python Live shows were announced last November to the first show on 1st July! With a little help from my friends, I ended up seeing it four times, and that included the first night and the grand farewell finale on 20th July.

Back in November on the day the tickets went on sale, I did 6 live radio interviews including The Jeremy Vine Show on Radio 2. And on 1st July, in addition to being on two more live radio shows, I was interviewed by the Belgian equivalent of the 9 o'clock TV News: VRT Nieuws.

Me, mid interview, on Belgian telly! Click the image to watch the interview. Click here to see behind-the-scenes photos of the film crew in my home: https://it.thislife.com/KHXVD2t4

So the day of the first show had finally arrived. In the courtyard at the entrance of the O2 Arena, there was a whole lot of silliness going on. 

Click the image to see more Python Live Silliness photos, including some of Python devotee Emma Thompson and her family!

Just before the show, by chance, I bumped into my old chum André Jacquemin of Redwood Studios (who features heavily in previous posts in this blog), and Sonia Jones who sang the theme tune to Life of Brian. They were just having a breather before curtain up. André, Python's sound engineer since day one, was doing the sound for the show and Sonia was part of the choir and she also played Mrs Betty Teale on VT. It was wonderful to meet her!

Sonia Jones, John Wood and André Jacquemin

And so, I was lucky enough to see the show four times, and all wonderful it was too, although I definitely prefer Lark's vomit to Mouse poo (I'm a purist) and I'm so used to seeing 20-something year old faces doing those sketches. But it's 2014... what did I expect? I was very pleased that so much of the older material was included, as the closest I had previously got to seeing a live Python show was the Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball in 1989. I really loved the new stuff too; essentially the huge dance numbers and notably, the Vagina Song and the Bottom Song.

Click the image above for a selection of photos I took of the four performances 

Along the way, I was also lucky enough to get some shots of me with a host of Python-related celebs: 

With Terry Jones' wife Anna Soderstrom

With Polly Parrot, the Norwegian Blue

With John Du Prez, the show's conductor, who composed the score for Monty Python's The Meaning of Life and is the co-author (with Eric Idle) of the music for Monty Python's Spamalot.

With Graham McDuff who has played both Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad in Spamalot. We first met at the stage door of the Palace Theatre in 2007 and have met at many a Spamalot stage door since.

With Alan Yentob who recently presented the insightful BBC documentary Monty Python: And Now For Something Rather Similar

Over the four nights, I also met up with many Python fans, some for the first time in "real life", two of whom flew all the way from LA just to see the show! That's Professor Molly Lavik who is currently writing a very interesting book (much more on that later), and the up-and-coming actress BreAnna "Bo" Chérie Wittman who is one of the Monty Pythong players. It was so good to meet them both! There was also Sally Western, Chris Butcher, Gemma Harris, Jonathan Gash, Lee Blazer, James Gent (who's also writing a very interesting book) and Hanna Anevik. What a happy bunch we made!

André Jacquemin and his daughter Jamie Lisa (one of the singers) kindly joined us after the show. Click the image above to see more photos. 

Gemma Harris, Jonathan Gash and Lee Blazer. Click the image above to see more photos of my Monty Python fan friends

The most memorable night was, of course, the last ever show. It was actually quite a sad moment when Eric Idle, during the encore just before Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, asked the audience to join in to bid them farewell... and then seeing them walk off stage for the very last time. But it's not the end of Python as we know it, because the DVD of the show is coming out in November, and they are bound to release other spin-offs such as books and albums. And there is now at last, a Monty Python online store! Then there's Spamalot which is going on tour from January 2015. And next year also sees the 40th anniversary of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. So it's only Monty Python live which has gone to meet its maker; there's loads more to look forward to!

To conclude, Eric Idle did an incredible job putting the show together - it was a massive hit! And what a treat it was for me! The very thing I've been passionate about for 40 years is suddenly on stage at full blast right in front of me, and it's the talk of the town, not just in London but all over the world due to the live global broadcast of the last show. Pure indulgence. 

Carol Cleveland Attends the Final Pre-Release Screening of A Liar's Autobiography

I risked my life taking this photo for you! I had to stand in the middle of a busy Shaftesbury Avenue! The things we do for art!

The 3D animated untrue story 
of Monty Python's Graham Chapman
- A Liar's Autobiography -
goes on general release in the UK

Click here for listngs http://bit.ly/11GoX6j

Friday 8th Feb 2013 - Curzon Cinema Soho: Attending this special event which marked the start of the film's UK general release, in addition to Carol Cleveland (the seventh Python), were:

• The film's 3 directors: Jeff Simpson, Ben Timlett and Terry Jones' son, Bill Jones
• Monty Python's sound engineer who also appeared in the film: André Jacquemin
• Philip Bulcock who played David Sherlock as well as one or two other characters

A Liar's Autobiography is a FAB film (Fabricated Animated Biopic); in a genre all of its own! 

In the bar area of the cinema, a life-size cardboard cutout of Graham Chapman as the Colonel watched over an exhibition of various props from A Liar's Autobiography (the actual model of Sigmund Freud that appeared in the movie as well as his desk, plus the figures used in the opening Oscar Wilde scene); Monty Python and the Holy Grail (the actual sun emblem King Arthur wore on his chest); and The Life of Brian (the actual sandal!). Also on display was Graham's Cambridge scarf.

The three directors: Bill Jones asked the audience to comply with Graham Chapman's wishes at the start of  the film and to shout abuse at the screen for 60 seconds

The actual sandal from The Life of Brian!

Various props from A Liar's Autobiography, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Life of Brian - plus Graham's Cambridge scarf

"Please welcome Carol Cleveland" Our Carol's not shy, that's for sure

Some artwork from the film on display at the Curzon Cinema Soho 
(Exhibition thanks to LOCO London Comedy Film Festival)

Some stills from the film, background info, poster etc
(Exhibition thanks to LOCO London Comedy Film Festival)

Me "cuddling" Sigmund Freud (voiced by Cameron Diaz)

Graham's Cambridge scarf (no that wasn't his actual pipe)

Me with Carol Cleveland!

Philip Bulcock, me, André Jacquemin - photo taken by Carol Cleveland on my phone!

Philip Bulcock, Carol Cleveland, André Jacquemin

Philip Bulcock, Carol Cleveland, André Jacquemin

It was great to see André again, and I was so pleased to finally meet Philip having corresponded with him so much in the Twittersphere.

I also managed to have a little chat with Carol. I guessed that her most memorable Python sketch that she appeared in was either Marriage Councillor or Scott of the Sahara. For her, it was the latter. She told me how it was one of the rare long sketches that was filmed on location on Torquay Beach in 1969. At that time, she had only known the Pythons for about two weeks. She said she really enjoyed filming it and that they were always laughing so much on set. I asked her about her topless scene (well, I had to!) and she said that it was the only time she refused a Python 'order'! In the script, she was supposed to run up the beach away from the sea as the final cactus removed her bra. But by then, a large crowd had gathered to watch the filming, and she did not fancy running topless towards the crowd. So instead, she ran with her back to the crowd towards the sea. And here is the masterpiece for your delight:

A Liar's Autobiography on DVD and Blu-ray will be available from 18 Feb but can be pre-ordered now.

The Launch of A Liar's Autobiography at LOCO Film Festival

A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman opened the LOCO Film Festival last night at BFI Southbank with all the excitement you'd expect at a movie premiere.

Celebrities present were Terry Jones who appears in the film (well, his voice does) and Simon Pegg who doesn't, but he came along, I assume, because he's a Monty Python fan like the rest of us; well those with good taste anyway. I said hello to Simon (I had to!) and told him I went to school with Eric Fellner. It seems they're good friends!

Rebecca Front and Tony Law were also there, both on the "What Have the Pythons Ever Given Us?"panel after the showing of the film, discussing the influence that Monty Python has had, and still has, over comedy in film and TV. I was also very happy to see Python stalwarts André Jacquemin and Julian Doyle there.

LOCO/Graham Chapman animation
by Anna Ginsburg

Part of the evening included the wonderful Animate Chapman Exhibition put on by Justin Weyers (the film's Animation Producer) of Made Visual which included artwork and props from the film as well as a live animation demonstration. On display too were Graham's Cambridge scarf, the sun motif worn by Graham in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and the shoe (the sign!) from The Life of Brian.

An unexpected highlight for me happened during the "What Have the Pythons Ever Given Us?" discussion. I was sitting almost dead centre in the front row and on two occasions, Tony Law decided to loudly point me out to the whole audience as the World's Greatest Monty Python Fan. It was being videoed too, but you can edit that out can't you Ida?

What an incredible evening that was! I love the guys at Trinity Film! Thanks to Cedric Behrel (Co-founder and Co-director) who hired me, I am now working within the world of Monty Python, having been a dedicated fan for 40 years. I am so grateful to you Cedric! Thank you! My dream has become a reality.

Next up: A Liar's Autobiography goes on general release in the UK on 8 Feb but it can also be pre-ordered now from Amazon as a DVD or Blu Ray.

A Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman stars Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, Stephen Fry, Cameron Diaz plus Philip Bulcock, Carol Cleveland, André Jacquemin, Justin McDonald and Jamie Jacquemin.

£1 goes to QUIT, the charity that helps prevent children from starting to smoke and adults to quit, for every pre-order of the film on DVD or Blu-ray. Visit: www. quit.org.uk until 1st Feb 2013.

UK Premiere of A Liar's Autobiography, Empire Leicester Square

A Liar's Autobiography flyer we were given on entering the cinema

On the back of the flyer, the words to a very rude song, for us all to sing along to 

The two tickets I won in the BFI's "Biggest Monty Python Fan" competition after the one I paid for

16 October 2012: As winner of the British Film Institute's "Biggest Monty Python Fan" competition, I felt I was on official duty to some degree during the proceedings! Many people throughout the night told me they had seen my tweets promoting the film, that they were grateful and that I was famous! 

I had been looking forward to the premiere for such a long time as I somehow knew about this project when it was just an idea. Even though I had a ticket (three actually as you can see above!), I decided to stand behind the railings by the side of the red carpet to watch the celebs arrive and the media circus unfold.

I was chuffed that Bill Jones, one of the three directors of the film (and Terry Jones's son), recognised me (from the Adobe Private Screening of A Liar's Autobiography 2 weeks earlier) while walking down the red carpet and came up to me and said hello!

Then Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Carol Cleveland, Neil Innes, Justin McDonald, Ronald Rivron, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Barry Cryer walked the walk and the media circus was well and truly underway. To keep the fans happy, there were several Graham Chapmans wandering around in character, namely, the Colonel who kept saying "Stop that, it's too silly", King Arthur (and Patsy) with coconuts, Mr Throat Wobbler Mangrove, pronounced "Luxury Yacht" (complete with huge polystyrene nose) and Brian who later, inside the cinema, gave us Brian's speech from Life of Brian that includes the line "We're all individuals" to which someone in the audience inevitably, and exactly on cue, shouted, "I'm not!"

I went inside and took my seat and the three directors and three very well known members of the cast introduced the film in a very original way, and did a Q and A session afterwards.

 

It was so good to see the film a second time. There is so much to take in, it needs at least two viewings. The length of time images and scenes stay in your head from the movie you have just seen is my measure of how good the movie is. Well it's still happening, and I first saw it on 4 October! I say it's a masterpiece and Graham Chapman would have loved it!

When the Q and A session ended with a "Sit on My Face" singalong, we all had fun at the after party. It was such a wonderful unforgettable night! I was on Cloud 9 the whole time!

A Visit to Graham Chapman's Local

To Preserve and Foster the Tradition of British Comedy
Graham Chapman 
"A very naughty boy"
8 January 1941 to 4 October 1989
Comedian and writer
Member of Monty Python's Flying Circus
Drank here often and copiously
The British Comedy Society
6 September 2012
photo:hamhigh.co.uk

What a stroke of PR genius it was to have The British Comedy Society put up a blue plaque for Graham Chapman to help promote his movie "A Liar's Autobiography" which goes on general release in the UK in January 2013.

"A Liar's Autobiography" flyer

Instead of putting the plaque on the house he lived in (that would have been far too ordinary), it was placed on a wall of his local pub - The Angel Inn, Highgate. After all, during his alcoholic years, he probably spent more time there than at home!

The Angel Inn, Highgate (you can just see the blue plaque to the left of the angel)

Unfortunately, my Monty Python "sources" didn't manage to tell me in advance about the plaque unveiling ceremony attended by Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Carol Cleveland and other celebs; I heard about it like everybody else did - on the news. Oh well, that's the way it goes sometimes. 

Soon to be The Chapman Corner

So, on the night of 16th October 2012, just before the UK premiere of "A Liar's Autobiography", (an appropriate night if ever there was one), I decided to go and see The Angel Inn for myself. I tried to visualise him being there in the 70s and 80s, probably doing crazy things and shouting a lot. The Angel's landlord, Ben Martin, told me he regularly got thrown out for being drunk, and would complain at the top of his voice in the street outside! Ben also told me that he will dedicate a corner of the pub to Graham, to be called (unsurprisingly) The Chapman Corner, where he will put some pictures of him. I'll definitely pop back one day for a photo of that! 

Graham Chapman as the Colonel: "Now, nobody likes a good laugh more than I do... except perhaps my wife... and some of her friends... oh, yes, and Captain Johnston. Come to think of it, most people like a good laugh more than I do, but that's beside the point."

News reports of the unveiling: 

• Local TV
• Local newspaper 

I won BFI's 2012 Biggest Monty Python Fan competition!

We think we've found the biggest Monty Python fan -here is the entry that won them #ll tkts to A Liar's Autobiography:  bit.ly/QNFHzX 

I am over the moon about this!!

Why I think I might be the biggest Monty Python fan

This is my entry in the British Film Institute's competition:

"The search for the biggest Monty Python fan"

Here are 28 reasons why I think I could win this competition:

Monty Python itself                                     

	1) I first saw the Flying Circus on a black and white TV in 1969 aged 9. It meant nothing to me, plus I was disappointed there was no circus as promised. My big brothers loved it and I couldn't figure out why. Then in 1973 aged 13, a school friend played me his Python albums and I got completely hooked. Python has been a major part of my life ever since.
	2) I recently visited Teddington Lock where the famous fish-slapping dance was filmed.
	3) I own all 45 Flying Circus TV shows, all 4 movies, all the Python audio albums, an original copy of the "Big Red Book", the "Papperbok", "Just the Words" (the complete scripts of all 45 TV shows) as well as the scripts of almost all the movies, and I also attended  "Not the Messiah", Monty Python's 40th anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall.
	4) I have seen "Monty Python's Spamalot" 11 times since 2007 and blogged about it each time, and I was part of the Spamalot-hosted world's largest coconut orchestra in Trafalgar Square. I blogged about that too. Last month, I won Harold Pinter Theatre's Spamalot's competition for a free goody bag (because no one else entered)
	5) In 2011, I saw Hampstead Theatre's Monty Python legal docu-drama play "No Naughty Bits" twice, the second time being press night which was attended by Terry Gilliam who signed my copy of the script, together with Nancy Lewis-Jones (a central character in the play and wife of Simon Jones who plays an official in Terry Gilliam's "Brazil").
	6) In 1979, I transcribed the entire "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" soundtrack album - yes, on a typewriter!! - as a present to the same friend who got me hooked in 1973.
	7) In 2009, I carried out some research on a voluntary basis for Bill and Ben Productions when they were putting together the "Almost The Truth" documentary. In return, they gave me a credit in the movie in the 'With Special Thanks' section. Priceless!
	8) I run the Pythonesque blog and Twitter account. If you search for "biggest monty python fan" in Google, #1 of the 2.2m results is the BFI announcement of this competition, but at #2 and #3 you will see my blog post entitled, "Are you the biggest Monty Python fan of your country?" predating the BFI article by over two years. So there!
	9) Python is such an important and central part of my life which has even shaped the way I see the world, I can't imagine it being possible to be in a relationship with someone who doesn't get Python. It's like being tuned into a very weird wavelength. You're either tuned into it or you're not. My ex most certainly was not. No surprise we split then. She considered Python to be infantile drivel! So in finding a new life partner, my top priority is to find someone who at least gets it. This is paramount for me, while age and looks do not matter (that is a blatant lie!) I am hoping that, out there somewhere, is a gorgeous 30-something, Python-quoting single lady. If this BFI competition helps me find her, what a story that will be!
	10) I have suggested to Methuen, Python's publishers, on many occasions to bring out a book of the scripts of the albums. In many ways, I find the albums better than the TV shows as they are so polished and contain so many gems. But to this day, many have never even heard of the albums! This is sacrilegious! I'm hoping that the release of the scripts will stimulate a resurgence of interest in the albums. I'm going to keep pushing for this until the book is in print. It's unthinkable to me that this book does not already exist!
	11) I was actually considering studying Python for an MA or similar post graduate qualification (but real life intervened). Photo: mobygames.com
	12) Future Plans: Preferably not alone, if you know what I mean, I want to visit more Python filming locations such as Doune Castle and the streets where the Gas Men, Silly Walks and Hungarian Phrasebook sketches were filmed. And at this rate I shall, no doubt, want something Python-related played at my funeral... will have to think of something more original than "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" though.

Individual Monty Python members

	13) I met Terry Jones and Michael Palin together by chance in 1975 when they were working on Ripping Yarns. While my brother, Steve, was giving me a lift driving through Soho, he stopped at the Nellie Dean Pub to buy some cigarettes. In the pub BY COINCIDENCE were Michael and Terry. I used to collect autographs at the time (I was a teenager, come on!) and the celeb I had just met previously wasn't particularly friendly. So my first words to Terry and Michael were: "Excuse me, are you nice famous people?" Michael's response was to say to Terry, "I'll 'old 'im," whilst grabbing the labels of my coat, "and you 'it 'im." In my autograph book, they wrote "Michael and Terry, Nellie Dean Pub, Mon-Fri 8-8.30pm". I have since met them both again on several occasions, the most recent being the signing of the recently released "Ripping Yarns" DVD.
	14) In 1989, I attended the premiere of "Erik the Viking" in Brighton where I managed to say hello to Terry Jones again.
	15) I am a big fan of Eric Idle's 1990 film "Nuns on the Run", so much so that I visited its filming locations in Chiswick, London.
	16) I attended the "Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball" for which the billing included John Cleese and Michael Palin. I managed to speak to John when he popped out of the theatre for a break. I asked him what the Neville Shunt sketch meant, and he explained it to me!
	17) I managed to catch the Oxford performance of John Cleese's Alimony Tour last year.
	18) Astrophysicists had told Eric Idle that the figure he gives in the lyrics for the width of the Milky Way in "The Galaxy Song" was incorrect, so he changed the figure in future live performances to what they had said was more accurate. Then another astrophysicist discovered that Eric was actually right all along. I noticed that Eric was not aware of it because he was still using his altered figure. I managed to get this message through to Eric via the then administrator of Pythonline.com. Eric's response was "I wish they'd make up their fucking mind!"
	19) I was given permission by the Python office in 1990 to visit the set of Michael Palin's movie, "American Friends". I met with Michael and Charles McKeown and watched a scene being filmed. I also visited the Liberal Club in London where a scene from Michael's movie, The Missionary, was filmed.
	20) In May 2011, I attended Terry Gilliam's debut as an opera director. 'Damnation of Faust' by Berlioz was performed at the ENO. On the way to my seat, I bumped into Elton John's percussionist, Ray Cooper, who has appeared in several of Terry's films, including 'Brazil'.
	21) When I first saw Terry Gilliam's movie "Brazil" in 1986, it was rather a life-changing experience; an epiphany. I loved it SO much, it became another major part of my life. I have been to most of its filming locations and have met more than half the cast who signed my book "Battle of Brazil". I also - out of the blue - bumped into 6 members of the cast entirely BY COINCIDENCE. e.g. Bryan Pringle came into the restaurant I was in while I was talking about Brazil with my mother; Ian Richardson walked past me in the street in my hometown, and in 1991, I spotted Terry Gilliam at Gatwick Airport and invited him to lunch (as you do). I brought along my Brazil scrapbook and we spent 3 hours discussing the film and my obsession with it. In my book, he wrote: "Thanks for keeping "Brazil" alive! - at least in your mind. It makes me feel it was all worthwhile. Thanks for letting us take over your life, Yours Terry Gilliam. From the hand of the Ministry."
	22) Apart from Graham Chapman, Eric Idle was the last Python I had not yet met. I finally caught up with him at the stage door of "Not the Messiah" at the Royal Albert Hall in 2009.
	23) I was invited BY COINCIDENCE to Adobe UK's private screening of "A Liar's Autobiography" in October 2012 where I met Bill Jones (Terry's son), one of the 3 directors of the movie, and was photographed with him and Graham Chapman! Not meeting Graham is such a regret for me, but I felt I got pretty close to him that night.

People who have worked with Monty Python

	24) I met up with Neil Innes after his show during one of his recent UK tours.
	25) I also met Carol Cleveland at the Royal Albert Hall after "Not the Messiah".
	26) Julian Doyle and his daughter Margarita have worked with the Pythons on scores of projects for decades. I got a photo taken with them at the world premiere of Julian's movie, "Chemical Wedding". Julian is probably most well known to Python fans as the policeman who puts his hand over the camera at the very end of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and Margarita was the voice of Central Services in "Brazil": "This has not been a recording."
	27) In December 2011, André Jacquemin, Python's sound engineer, was kind enough to invite me (plus friends) to his studio to listen to outtakes from the Python albums as well as see an exclusive preview of the first 9 minutes of "A Liar's Autobiography" which he was doing the sound for at the time.
	28) At the premiere of Chemical Wedding, I also met up with Terence Bayler who delivers the famous 'Blessed are the Cheesemakers' line in "Life of Brian": "Well, obviously it's not meant to be taken literally. It refers to any manufacturers of dairy products."