London’s O2 Arena is to host the first Monty Python live show in three decades, with the show on July 1st in 2014.

At a press conference today, in typically anarchic fashion, the five Python’s conducted the news conference while sitting behind the wrong name cards.

The Monty Python’s Flying Circus TV show was made between 1969 and 1974 and is generally recognized as having revolutionised British comedy.

They have since amassed millions of fans for their anarchic comedy series and films, which also launched their own successful solo careers.

Official Python press release refers to the forthcoming show as “a final reunion. Sort of.”

Pythons’ last live show was at the Hollywood Bowl in September 1980.

Tickets for the show will go on sale at 10:00am on Monday at: montypythonlive.com

At the press conference Eric Idle said: “We thought it would be a good idea to see if we’re still funny”. John Cleese pledges to wear women’s clothing.

Michael Palin seemed to take longest to convince to do the new show. “Michael chickened out last time,” says Cleese, who went on to say: “We just laugh a lot when we’re together“.

Terry Gillian commented: “We may not like each other, but we’re very funny together.”

Idle says the show will centre on Python’s ‘greatest hits’. Gilliam animation will also feature.

Terry Jones: “We’ll miss Graham (Chapman) quite a lot“.

Gilliam: “There will be medical teams on stand-by.”
Cleese: “My money’s on Jones to go next.”

Cleese: “Yesterday, we heard 25 camera crews were coming today and felt very important. The we couldn’t get a reservation for lunch.”

Jones is keen on a show in Australia, but Cleese says: “Only problem is that there are planets closer than Oz.”

When asked if they no longer fear they’re milking old material, Idle says: “I think the cow died years ago.”

Cleese “loved” the last live Python show, at Hollywood Bowl, and mentions a “cup final roar” as they walked on to the stage.

Warwick Davis, asks Cleese when he’s doing Time Bandits 2. “I’ve been hanging on for this!”

The live show will be directed by Phil McIntyre.

Monty Python with John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin reunite 30 years on to talk about The Meaning of Life, comedy, fish and their own mortality.

MONTY PYTHON – 1972 – “The Argument Clinic”

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT – currently playing at The Playhouse Theatre
Audiences throughout the world have been roaring with laughter since Monty Python’s Spamalot, by Eric Idle and John Du Prez, won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2005.

Spamalot tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
The show features the hilarious songs He Is Not Dead Yet, Knights of the Round Table, Find Your Grail and of course the Nation’s Favourite Comedy Song (Reader’s Digest Poll 2009) Always Look On the Bright Side of Life.

Spamalot at The Playhouse Theatre
Evenings: Monday to Thursday and Saturday 8:00pm, Friday at 9:00pm
Matinees: Friday 6:00pm and Saturday 2:30pm
Running Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Thursday 21st November 2013