And Now For Something Completely Different … Most people have heard of Monty Python – that group of mostly British actors who in the early 1970s (1969-1974 to be precise) created the radical Monty Python’s Flying Circus – a series of ground-breaking comedic sketches that brought to the small screen unconventional treatment of issues that were considered explosive at the time. Well, tonight I saw it on stage … and in French.
When Nate suggested attending the show I was skeptical that I could enjoy it. Yes I’d heard of Monty Python but I wasn’t familiar enough with their work to be comfortable seeing their sketches in French. Luckily there were surtitles. At any rate it was obvious who the French were in the crowd as they were the ones who were laughing a split-second before the rest of us caught up via the surtitling. [Interestingly our French friend Helene thought it was quite appropriate for the performance to be in French as the skits were quite reflective of the French humour and attitude to life.]
I could see why this show was such a success at the Edingburgh Festival 2003 and for the following 2 years in Paris. Though the surtitling limited any improvisation the performance was nevertheless highly energetic and charming. Hey – and the surtitling did save one skit where one of the actors forgot his line – he was standing in only a g-string and suspenders in a close embrace with a fellow male cast member also similarly attired so who could blame him!
Skits performed during the night included: Non-Illegal Robbery, Llamas, A Man with a Tape Recorder Up His Nose, A Man with a Tape Recorder Up His Brother’s Nose, Children’s stories, Argument Clinic, Self-Defence against Fresh Fruit, The Lumberjack Song, and many more. One of the funnier skits was the “Is there … ” segment with tonight’s segment being “Is there Life After Death” and it involved an interview and three empty chairs. I guess you had to be there. Oh and there was the skit with the guy who couldn’t pronounce his “C’s”. I’m not sure how this one translated in French but it was very funny trying to keep up with the surtitling on this one.
Overall it was a very fun and entertaining night even though it was hard work switching attention between the surtitles and the stage. Thank goodness for speed reading.