Terry Gilliam on Monty Python Live: 'I find it depressing'
Terry Gilliam has said it is 'depressing' that Monty Python are reuniting for a series of gigs at the O2 Arena in London.
Speaking in a Evening Standard interview, he said on the topic of meeting up with his fellow Python members: "It's good, seeing each other again, but then you realise that we're not as sharp because we like each other more. Probably.
"There's none of the tension that existed before, which was what seemed to fuel the stuff. It's harder to do comedy now anyway: we're older, we've become the Establishment we took the piss out of...
"Actually, the truth is I find it depressing that we're getting back together again. It's like, we worked so hard to get careers beyond it, to get to this stage, and now we're being dragged back again."
Gilliam added that the most radical or subversive thing they could have done was 'nothing - never reforming; never jangling the hat full of pennies.' He concluded: "That's why I thought we were really good. But in the end we sold out."
Heavy debts have been explained as one of the main reasons why Monty Python are briefly reforming, including the need to pay a big legal bill over a dispute in regards to the royalties for the Spamalot stage show. Gilliam added: "There was John Cleese with his divorce payments, and Terry Jones's mortgage was a legitimate concern."
Monty Python Live (Mostly) launches on the 1st July, with 10 dates scheduled. The comedians have ruled out reforming again, or touring the show, and thus their final performance will be on Sunday 20th July. It was announced last month that 1,500+ cinemas around the world will live stream the last show.
Gilliam, who was speaking to the Evening Standard to promote the English National Opera he has directed, revealed that the group has not rehearsed much yet, there has just been a read-through. Talking about the script, he explained: "We know it. We've done it. There's only a little bit of me in it anyway, which obviously isn't fair..."
Gilliam added: "I tell you Mike Palin is the funniest Python by far; just a genius. Why he wastes his time on these boring travel shows I have no idea." Monty Python At Work, a new book giving Michael Palin's account of the making of the various Monty Python projects, is to be released on the 12th June.
Below is a video showing the arena set being constructed:
The new music album Monty Python Sings (Again) will be released on the 9th June. Here's the music video for the Silly Walks Song: