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Graham Chapman (front) and Eric Idle in the crucifixion scene of »The Life of Brian«: Will the song remain in the stage version?
Photo: ddp images
"Always look on the bright side of life" may be a good motto in all situations, but Eric Idle does not always succeed in seeing the good when he goes to the plans of his Monty Python colleague John Cleese. Idle, 80, wrote the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," which is sung in the famous crucifixion scene in the 1979 film "The Life of Brian." There, Brian Cohen (played by Graham Chapman, who died in 1989) is nailed to the cross as the supposed Messiah.
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Comedian Cleese: No complaints for 40 years
Photo: Amanda Stronza / Getty Images
For John Cleese, 83, "The Life of Brian" is the best film that the Monty Python comedian group has made. That's why, according to a report, he is working on a stage version that will premiere in London in the second half of 2024. This was the result of a report in the British tabloid »Daily Mail«. In the article of the "Mail" showbiz columnist, however, it was said that Eric Idle was also involved in new scenes and plot threads for a "blockbuster stage show". Idle has now denied this.
"I have nothing whatsoever to do with this production or adaptation," Idle wrote on his Twitter account in response to an article in the British Comedy Guide that picked up on the Daily Mail report. It also mentioned, among other things, that the title character Brian would not be crucified in the stage version. "Apparently Cleese cut out the song. Of course," Idle continued, probably referring to "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life."
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Comedian Idle: »And good luck with that«
Photo: David Livingston / Getty Images
However, the original report of the »Mail« also stated that Brian would still sing »Always Look on the Bright Side of Life«. In addition, a new character is planned, Fiona Pilate, the wife of the Roman governor, who falls in love with Brian. A scene written by Michael Palin, which did not make it into the film at the time, was also added.
According to Cleese, however, another scene has been deleted. In it, members of the Popular Front of Judea discuss why the character Stan (played by Eric Idle in the film) now wants to be called Loretta. "Because I want to have babies" is the answer. The Popular Frontist, played by John Cleese, emphasizes "But you can't have babies," to which Stan/Loretta says, "Please don't oppress me." Cleese's character: "I'm not oppressing you at all, Stan. But you don't have Mumu. You don't have a uterus either. How is that supposed to work? Do you want to keep it in a cigar box?"
In one of his one-man show appearances, John Cleese is said to have told the Daily Mail, according to the »Daily Mail«, that American actors had told him after a reading sample that you couldn't do the thing with Loretta these days. For 40 years, as far as he knows, no one complained about it, says Cleese, "but now we can't do it because it could hurt people." The scene was written by John Cleese and Graham Chapman. More recently, Cleese has regularly spoken out as a critic of what he perceives as "cancel culture" in cultural sensitivity.
Eric Idle says of the »Brian« stage project: »It's a Cleese thing. And good luck with that. But he's not allowed to say that I'm throwing out things I didn't write." Idle refers to the oratorio "Not the Messiah: He's a Very Naughty Boy", which he wrote with the composer John Du Prez on the basis of the "Life of Brian" material. Otherwise, he hasn't seen John Cleese since the last day of the Monty Python US tour in New Orleans in 2016.
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