Monty Python and the Holy Grail was turned into the smash hit songfest Spamalot by Eric Idle and regular collaborator John Du Prez. It seems Cleese isn’t keen to take a leaf out of his old pal Idle’s book.
The British comedy icon aims to perform it in late 2022, pandemic permitting. “No Pythons in the cast” he concludes. “We’ve had enough die already.”
Seven years on from Monty Python Live — where he joined Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, and Terry Gilliam for one last hurrah — Cleese wants to resurrect Life of Brian as a live comedy.
This isn’t the first time Cleese has brought one of his comedies back. Fawlty Towers was adapted for the stage in 2016. Actor Stephen Hall took the role of Basil in the production, which was put on in Australia.
Who will be the new Messiah?
There’s no word on who will inherit the mantle of Brian from Chapman, who passed away in 1989. Another key role is that of mother Mandy, memorably portrayed by Jones who died in 2020.
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Interest in the project will no doubt be high. Those who’ve played King Arthur in Spamalot since the show opened in 2005 include Tim Curry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) and noted Shakespearean actor Simon Russell Beale.
Is the new Life of Brian going to be as controversial as before?
The movie was acclaimed by lovers of comedy, but the religious establishment wasn’t amused. Cleese and Palin decided to debate the issues raised on TV with Mervyn Stockwood, Bishop of Southwark, and journalist Malcolm Muggeridge.
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As with previous Python work, Life of Brian is often shown on TV and streaming services. Characters such as “Biggus Dickus” and various eye-popping incidents — at one point Brian accidentally jumps into a passing spaceship, where he’s confronted by two squidgy aliens — ensured the release became a cult classic.
