John Cleese

Monty Python Live review

John Cleese was hoarse, Terry Jones relied on cue-cards and at times they looked lost amid the spectacular. Yet you don't need to be a die-hard fan to take the view that none of that really mattered.

Monty Python bring the house down

John Cleese just had to say "I wish to register a complaint'" in the Parrot Sketch and he brought everyone out in hysterics.

Monty Python, O2 Arena - comedy review

'John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam delivered material written nearly half a century ago - and it still works'

Imagine… Monty Python - And Now For Something Rather Similar opened with a series of interviews given by the comedy team in 1999. Each, in turn, gave a professional, personal, artistic or logistical reason why they would never perform as a group again.

Fast-forward 14 years, and the Pythons have announced a reunion. It was going to be a one-off performance in London's O2 Arena, but when this sold out in 45 seconds they quickly expanded it into a very lucrative tour.

Imagine… and Alan Yentob tracked the Pythons down to various parts of the globe, where they were all engaged upon individual projects, to discuss the forthcoming tour. Most expressed mild enthusiasm, John Cleese declared curmudgeonly ambivalence, while Terry Gilliam announced that he wouldn't be able to attend any rehearsals as he had a film to launch in Paris.

Only Eric Idle appeared genuinely committed to the undertaking. Moreover, he wasn't content to stage a greatest hits sketch show but took it upon himself to produce an authentic stage spectacular, complete with an all-singing, all-dancing chorus.

The other Pythons seemed happy to let him do all the hard work, put in the hours, shoulder the stress and accept the responsibility. Which, in my experience, is pretty much the template for all creative 'teams'.

Radio Times review

The reunion of the UK's most influential comedy troupe - yes, the Pythons, of course - has now accumulated a mountain of speculation. Did the first show really sell out in under a minute? Are the "boys", all now in their 70s, really only doing it for the money? Will they still be funny? (No, yes, er. . .) More will be revealed here.

BBC Radio 2 (17.00-19.00, 1st July) has managed the considerable coup of nabbing arguably the two most eloquent members of the team (Michael Palin and John Cleese, who so memorably trounced Malcolm Muggeridge and the Bishop of Southwark during the Life of Brian scandal in 1979) to do a live interview hours before the Python show at London's 02 arena. The interviewer is Simon Mayo, and I can't imagine anyone better.

Graham Chapman: an unlikely friendship with a Python

John Cleese and co reunite this month, but one Python will be missing from the cast. Ken Levy recalls how a chance encounter backstage led to an unlikely friendship.

No more silly walks from John Cleese at the O2

The public's love for "silly walks" does not appear to be shared by its chief protagonist.

Eric Idle: Russell Brand & Eddie Izzard could stand in

In a behind the scenes documentary, Eric Idle has revealed that it has crossed their minds that one of them might not be able to make it on stage, joking that if Michael Palin can't make it they plan to draft in Eddie Izzard or use Russell Brand as a replacement for John Cleese.

John Cleese: why I stopped doing the Bond films

Cleese says his turn as madcap inventor Q ended because producers were pandering to Asian audiences, which he claims don't appreciate "the subtle British humour or the class jokes".

John Cleese interview

Ahead of the Monty Python reunion, the tallest and oldest member talks Life of Brian bliss, Meaning of Life disagreements and why the current BBC makes him sad.