John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Michael Palin and Terry Jones will reform Monty Python’s Flying Circus for a theatre show in 2014.
Terry Jones has confirmed that the surviving members will reform in an interview with the BBC. ‘We’re getting together and putting on a show – it’s real,’ he told the BBC this week. ‘I’m quite excited about it. I hope it makes us a lot of money. I hope to be able to pay off my mortgage!’
The last official Monty Python performance was in 2002 for the George Harrison tribute ‘Concert For George’. Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Neil Innes performed ‘Sit On My Face’ and ‘The Lumberjack Song’ for the late Beatle. Cleese was not part of that performance.
George Harrison was a close friend of the comedy group and funded their ‘Life of Brian’ movie. He also appeared as an extra in the film. In an interview I did with him in the 90s George explained his part in the movie. “Well if you’re looking for me, then everybody’s going to look like that. There’s just one little shot, it’s probably about 12 frames. Do you know the scene where he comes out of the room and there’s crowds of people in the house and John Cleese is there saying, “Those people with gifts form a queue on the left. Those possessed by demons over to the right,” and then he comes out and he says, “Brian, Mister Papadopolus has promised to loan us the mount for Monday.” You have to go through it again and see that scene and it cuts across and I’m in the crowd. And I just say “Eh, hello, thank you or something … hello”. That’s all it is!”
Monty Python’s Flying Circus was formed in 1969. The six original members were Cleese, Gilliam, Idle, Palin, Jones and Graham Chapman. Chapman died in 1989.
The original television show was produced between 1969 and 1974.
Monty Python’s Flying Circus also made five movies:
And Now For Something Completely Different (1971)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974)
Monty Python’s Life Of Brian (1979)
Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl (1982)
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983)
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