I went to see Monty Python last night. It was one third Idle Musical, one third
clips of classics sketches that I could see on Youthingy anytime I want, and
one third reruns of old sketches with the original cast (yes all of them). Plus
a bit of corpsing by Cleese thrown in. Actually, that got the most spontaneous
laughs.
I think what was missing was timing, in so many
respects. The thing with comedy is timing. The lines work still, yes we can all
quote the sketches and fall about laughing … we recall it with the timing that
worked so well in the day. As we get
older we slow down a bit … ok more than a bit. I know I have. And so have they. But like a favourite aunt, or parent, we
listen again and again to their stories retold, as they have forgotten they
told us the first time, or because they just want to reminisce.
Part of the word timing is … time. And time has gone by,
time gives you a chance to reflect and realise just how caught up in the moment
you can be, how consumed by the fun, blinded by the moment. And
when that moment has passed, well, it has gone, it is
no more …
My initial thought was, to use a cliché, nostalgia aint what
it used to be. Or is it? I enjoyed it, I am glad I went and delighted I can say
I saw “I saw them ‘live’ from row U at the 02”. While I am writing this I have Monty
Python: And Now for Something Rather Similar on in the background and the sketches still touch a nerve.
I really didn't think I was going to see five 70 year
olds on the stage for 3 solid hours performing endless sketches with perfect timing - did I? Or at least enough to capture the old magic ... perhaps I did, but I know that was too much to hope
for. My abiding memory of the show is Cleese and Palin giggling
at the end of the Argument sketch. I saw
that special connection between them. Wonderful, magic in fact.
So it was good, really quite good. But I am not blinded by Pythonitis. It was an excellent circus, not quite flying
though. You may disagree with me. I may disagree with myself later ….
Is this the five minute argument or the full half hour? Just
the five minutes actually. I may come back for the full half hour later. If you
want to argue with me … well do you? £5?
