Tag Archives: Monty Python

More Python Classes

Graham Colonel

I’m sorry I’ve been posting less often lately (most of my posts seem to begin this way), but, among other things, I’ve been devoting a lot of my formerly free time to my Python classes at the iO Chicago. And it’s been a blast. To paraphrase something that Graham Chapman once told me, “I don’t let them know how much fun I’m having or they won’t want to pay me.”
Both sessions are winding up; my writing class, The Python Process, will be wrapping up with a staged reading on February 21 at 7 pm at the Chris Farley Theatre at the iO. This group has been turning out some incredibly funny material, week after week, and the audience is going to have a great time. My improv class, PythonProv, will be performing beginning at 7 pm February 26 in the same space, and this one will be just as funny.
Improvising in the style of @montypython is not the easiest thing in the world, and we may be the first group that’s made a serious attempt at it. And it’s going so well that we’re not going to let it drop after this session ends. And that’s why we’re going to continue on to a second level of PythonProv with the same group.
So why am I telling you all this if you aren’t in the group? Because we’re launching another session of PythonProv Level One classes beginning on Sunday, February 28. I don’t want to tell you how we do it, but I’ll give you one hint: while doing a long form improvisation, we chip away at everything that doesn’t look like #montypython. And it’s working!
If you’re interested, contact the iO Chicago. If you like Monty Python and improvising, you’re going to have a blast.

Happy Jonesday!

A ridiculously Happy Birthday to my dear pal Terry, just a kid at 74 years today! @PythonJones #montypythonWilly_150908_9764

Good news, Cleese news…

The bad news is when your phone rings right in the middle of your Python Process class at the iO Chicago.

The good news is when it’s John Cleese calling, and he offers to talk to your students on speakerphone.

He answered questions about writing, and delighted and inspired the whole group. All classes should be like this. Thanks, John!

PPclass1-16

Happy birthday Graham

On January 8, 1941, Graham Chapman made his first appearance in Leicester, England. According to his autobiography, however, he was born in Leamington on February 7, 1942. Of course, one should keep in mind that it was titled A Liar’s Autobiography, and that should be enough to give you a pretty good idea of the sort of strangeness that Graham embraced his whole life.

Graham and me City Center

This is a photo of the second time I met Graham, in April of 1976, backstage at the City Center. I would be embarrassed at my leisure suit and ridiculous hair, except I’m with Graham, and Graham was never embarrassed about anything. Boy, do I miss him.

#montypython #grahamchapman

Bringing back Basil:

Celebrate the holidays with the return of Basil Fawlty. Yes, you read that correctly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_74nSQ2TNY

#fawltytowers #johncleese #montypython

Fawlty Report

Fawlty TowersJohn Cleese is looking to have a very busy 2016. In addition to everything else on his schedule, including an Australian tour with Eric Idle (which I wrote about here), filming a movie, scripting a Feydeau farce for a possible West End production, and lots of writing, The Daily Telegraph is now reporting that a stage production of Fawlty Towers will be opening in Australia in August.

I haven’t had a chance to confirm this yet with @johncleese, but this would undoubtedly be similar to a very successful Scandinavian production that was presented recently. John has found a way to stitch together three episodes of @fawltytowers into a full-length play, and will doubtless be down under overseeing the production this summer. No, John and the rest of the cast of the original TV series won’t be on stage, but if John is involved, this will be good.

 

Gilliamesque Regards

I don’t think I’ve written anything about Terry Gilliam’s new autobiography, Gilliamesque (which @johncleese was kind enough to buy for me a couple of weeks ago), but I can’t think of a better day to mention it. First of all, happy birthday Terry! Secondly, this is a pretty amazing book, down to the art directed scrawling on the borders of the pages. I always thought I knew a lot about Terry’s life, but I was amazed at the Zelig-like events of his youth even before he left for England. And did you know that Terry is the only one of the Pythons who ever had acting lessons? Gilliamesque

He’s managed to cram a lot into this volume, but it could have been twice as long and I would have come up begging for more. So on this @terrygilliam birthday, buy yourself a present. If you’re at all a Gilliam fan, or a @montypython fan, you’ll love Gilliamesque.

#montypython #johncleese #terrygilliam

In Case You Missed This:

…John Cleese will be guesting on Real Time with Bill Maher this Friday night. If you enjoyed his solo interview last year, wait till you see him on the panel!

Terry J on Tuesday

At the ridiculously historic #foxtheatre in Atlanta–@PythonJone live! #montypython This will be a good one!

Cleese and Idle…together again for the first time!…

When I saw @johncleese recently, he told me that he would be touring around Florida this fall with @ericidle. And now, the official announcement has been made here. If you saw John and Eric in LA last November, you know this is not to be missed. Say no more.