Beloved British comedian and founding member of Monty Python Eric Idle is set to tour Australia in the latter half of 2024 with his new show ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Live!’
The nostalgic one-man musical will feature a mix of comedy and music and reflect the 81-year-old’s love of comedy, music, life, and what he calls ‘Mock and Roll’.
Dates include:
October 31, 2024: Sandy Bay, Tasmania
November 2, 2024: Llewellyn Hall, Canberra
November 4, 2024: Hamer Hall, Melbourne
November 9, 2024: The Star, Gold Coast
November 13, 2024: State Theatre, Sydney
November 18. 2024: Perth Concert Hall, Perth
November 20, 2024: Festival Theatre, Adelaide
Buy tickets for Tasmania, Sydney, and Perth here.
Buy tickets for Canberra, Melbourne, Gold Coast, and Adelaide here.
Who are the members of Monty Python?
Graham Chapman (1941 – 1989)
Sadly on October 4, 1989, Graham lost his battle with tonsil cancer that had spread to his spine. He was only 48.
He was survived by his long-term partner David Sherlock.
The surviving members of Monty Python have made frequent reference to their fallen friend over the years.
John Cleese received worldwide praise for his heartfelt and humorous eulogy that he delivered on behalf of Monty Python at a memorial service held for Graham two months after his tragic passing.
John Cleese (1939 – present)
John has been the most active member of Monty Python since the comedy troupe was retired.
Most notably he starred as Nearly Headless Nick in the Harry Potter film series and voiced King Harold in Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, and Shrek Forever After.
More recently some of Australia’s funniest performers paid tribute to the international comedy legend on Channel Seven’s ‘Roast of John Cleese.’
He’s also set to star in an upcoming reboot of his beloved comedy series Fawlty Towers which originally aired between 1975 and 1979.
Terry Gilliam (1940 – present)
As well as his comedy and animation work on Monty Python, Terry has directed several notable Hollywood films including The Brothers Grimm and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. In June 2024, it was announced that he would also be directing The Carnival at the End of the Days which will begin filming in January 2025 and star Johnny Depp, Adam Driver, and Jason Momoa.
Eric Idle (1943 – present)
Despite being in his 80’s, Eric is still a very busy boy!
He created the Tony AND Grammy award-winning Broadway show ‘Spamalot’ in 2005, performed ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ at the London 2012 Olympic Games closing ceremony, has appeared in numerous Hollywood films and television series such as Shrek, The Simpsons, and South Park and even competed in season eight of The Masked Singer US in 2022.
Terry Jones (1942 – 2020)
In his later years, Terry was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a condition he would live with for an additional five years before he passed away from the condition on January 21, 2020. He was due to celebrate his 78th birthday only 11 days after his death.
Prior to his passing, the comedian became a fervent advocate for dementia research and even donated his brain to the cause when he died.
He is survived by his two adult children Bill and Sally from his first marriage to Alison Telfer, and his teenage daughter Siri, whom he welcomed into the world with his second wife Anna Soderstrom in 2009.
Sir Michael Palin (1943 – present)
While he may be most known for his comedy work, Sir Michael is also known for his numerous television travel documentaries.
As a travel writer and presenter, he has traversed to all corners of the globe to places such as the North and South Poles, the Sahara, the Himalayas, Eastern Europe, Brazil, and even a trip to North Korea in 2018.
His most recent travel documentary in 2024 saw him visit Nigeria.
Why are they called Monty Python?
While there are numerous theories about why the comedy troupe settled on naming themselves ‘Monty Python’, it has never been explicitly confirmed.
Some say the name makes reference to a bar the men would frequent in their youth while others believe the group believed the name sounded like a sleazy entertainment agent, and thus was the perfect name for them.
It is also believed that the name was one of several suggested by the group to the BBC when workshopping their sketch comedy television series and that the broadcaster made the decision for them.
Other potential names included Owl Stretching Time, A Horse, a Spoon, and a Bucket, Vaseline Review, The Toad Elevating Moment and Bun, and finally Wackett, Buzzard, Stubble, and Boot.
No matter what the real reason behind the name is – its nonsensical nature is the perfect fit for the nonsensical comedy of the group.
Where can I watch Monty Python in Australia?
The four Monty Python Films are: And Now For Something Completely Different (1971), Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974), Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979), and Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life (1983).
You can watch Monty Python (including all their television sketches and specials) in Australia on AppleTV+
Stream Monty Python on AppleTV+ from $12.99/mth, with a 7-day free trial.
