Our East Coast Correspondent Shelley Sweet-Tufano has certainly been making the concert rounds of late! We've had several brand new reviews of hers to run lately ... and here's her latest ...
John Cleese ... Not Dead Yet
He is an imposing older gentleman British professor. His accent exudes status and sophistication.
WAIT
A MINUTE HERE! You cannot be talking about John Cleese! He is one of
the famous comedy cut-ups of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, as well as
writing A Fish Called Wanda. You must be describing someone else!
That
is exactly what I tell myself as I sit here in The Palace Theatre,
Stamford, CT, on October 16, 2025. I am listening intently and what I
wrote in my opening statement is exactly what I hear and see. I have
never seen him in person so what did I expect when I got my ticket? I
knew he is 85 years old, so I did not expect crazy walks, prat falls,
bursts of song or flashy pacing around the stage. I was open to whatever
he presented and accepted it. It was when I glanced down at the notes
in my lap that I realized the incongruity of what people might expect.
The
theatre has its Gold Circle seats set up and the first row is almost
touching the stage with their noses. I understand this is to make those
ticket holders feel important and part of a cozy interview session, but
it would make a good comedy sketch. Tonight, we celebrate 50 years of
Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Expensive movie ticket you say? Yes,
but any other time I saw the movie, it was without the presence of one
of the main characters. So, it is special.
In
1972 when the troupe calling themselves Monty Python, decided to do a
movie, they split up and began to write the script. (You heard me.
Separately, they wrote one script) They then got together and went over
the different pieces written. IT WAS AWFUL! The only part that did not
hit the trash bin was written by Michael Palin and centered
around ... coconuts. They did try to include a Toupee scene (Monty Python
thought toupees to be hilarious) and we were shown this video tonight.
Alas, it too was thrown out. However, a script was achieved, including
the coconuts, that historied (or not if one is honest) the journeys of
King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table in their quest for the
Holy Grail. As Cleese says it, "You are here to see a film that you have
already seen way too many times."
One
more bit of information I will give you. After writing the script and
budgeting that the film could be done for $24,000; nobody wanted to back
it. Then the idea that this just may become an investment opportunity,
it was primarily funded by:
Led Zeppelin
Pink Floyd
Jethro Tull
and three record companies: Island, Charisma, and Chrysalis
MUSIC COMES THROUGH AGAIN!
Although
not known for any musical breakthroughs or lasting chart toppers, the
crew of Monty Python was firmly engrained in the 60s and 70s and became
part of our lasting culture of free love, political satire, and just
plain sarcasm. Good night, folks.
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
NE Representative
Forgotten Hits
60 YEARS AGO TODAY:
10/22/65 – The Kingston Trio make an appearance on the NBC television series “Convoy”
