After having the tickets for about 8 months on Saturday night we eventually got to The O2 to see Monty Python Live (mostly) – One down five to Go. Even the title of the show has a couple of jokes in it! Over 40 years after they last appeared on a stage in the UK as well, all five of them in their 70s but you really wouldn’t have guessed that with the amount of energy put into the show.
I should have been much more prepared for it though, I did get an incredible box set with everything in it for Christmas but didn’t manage to get round to watch it all. Think that would have helped with some of the sketches but let’s face it whether I knew much about them or not I really was laughing at loud. No age on some comedy that has certainly been confirmed after seeing this show. Remembering the age of the men they had quite a big dance group to fill the gaps at time and got involved in the many musical numbers. Special little dance for the ministry of silly walks which John Cleese can no longer do, due to a bad back!
Michael Palin, John Cleese and Eric Idle seemed to be the main three on the night and involved in the main roles. Both Terry’s didn’t have the biggest roles to play but that doesn’t mean they didn’t get any laughs. I personally thought Terry Gilliam was brilliant in the sense of how happy he looked on the stage, a constant smile or maybe that should be grin on his face when you could see him. Especially loved him in the Spanish inquisition sketch, nobody every expects it! (Sorry I went there)
The reactions from the audience were fantastic throughout and you could easily sense that John Cleese was clearly the crowd favorite. I personally decided that Eric Idle is my favorite I absolutely loved every time he broke out into song, it really was entertaining. Let’s not forget he wrote and put Spamalot together which is a fantastic tongue in cheek musical.
Too many different sketches to really mention in this review of the show! But you can easily guess the one everyone was waiting for … The dead parrot and that did not disappoint with them saving it for second to last, obviously always looking on the bright side was sung at the very end after applause and an exit from the stage. Fantastic the whole of The 02, 20,000 people all singing along!
I do think the little things made a huge impact as well, the mention of John Cleese’s many divorces and Michael Palin with his travel shows. Even Top Gear have a little joke against them. Also a surprise guest which turned out to be Matt Lucas – now I certainly did not expect that at all. He really did seem in ore of the Python’s and being on stage with them which was brilliant.
The dances in-between and during the different songs really did make it a fantastic show to watch. It was a spectacle and that is exactly what it had to be. Old video clips were also put on the screen between the different sketches as well to break things up a bit. One thing is for sure the show totally flew by, it seemed like no time at all. Well done to these extremely talented men for putting this all together for one last time?