Monty Python Live (Mostly)

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.

Comedy? It's just flogging a dead parrot

Idle has become the figure he used to satirise: a humourless, pompous, self-obsessed, self-adoring bore.

Cleese is wrong: Python's silly walks are still funny

Cleese has said that Monty Python's silly walks sketch was only funny because of the 'brilliance of my performance', while Mick Jagger has called the comedy group 'a bunch of wrinkly old men trying to relive their youth.' But tongue-in-cheek joking aside, this is still a seriously talented bunch of fools.

Monty Python Live review

No matter how jaded or cynical, the opening to I'm A Lumberjack, Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, Nudge Nudge Wink Wink and even the Liberty Bell theme tune itself can't help but send a shiver down the spine of anyone who knows about these things.

Monty Python Live review

I was a fan of Monty Python from the start, and it pains me to criticise them. But this is desperately lazy production.

Monty Python Live review

What would the old Pythons have made of these sad old chaps? They might have taken the rise out of them. Maybe we should we more merciful and just thank them for the old memories.

Monty Python Live review

Its not something completely different, but that's exactly why fans will love it.

Monty Python Live: Bloody good, says Twitter

The Twitter reaction is in: Monty Python Live is, you know, a goer. Nudge, nudge.

Monty Python forgot their lines, but who cares?

They're all in their 70s, and the first night of their Septuagenarian Reunion Tour, at London's O2 arena, was their first live show since 1980, so they can be forgiven.