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We read through scripts 4-6 first thing this morning and they all held together well. I had expected I’d have to do a few rewrites, but aside from number 5 being a bit long and the occasional typo or repeated thought they felt pretty much on the money. Some bits I had forgotten I’d written. Once again in the white heat of an imminent deadline, everything had come together.
I had another day of no acting (except providing an unrecorded other end of a phone call) and though we didn’t quite get to the unstoppable hilarity of yesterday it was an enjoyable day of work.
But I got an alert from the BBC with news that Terry Jones had died, which was a real punch to the guts. Monty Python provided my comedy awakening (initially via my brother’s tape of the Drury Lane gig) and losing any of them is something closer to the death of a relative, than a celebrity I don’t even know (though Jones is the only Python I have spent any time meaningfully interacting with). I had been thinking about Python a good deal this week, ahead of my interview with Palin. I’ve been listening to the audio book of Erebus and had been thinking about how clever all these men had been, especially Jones with his books about Chaucer and history.
I have written before about Jones’ work and the influence it had on me.
Just yesterday I’d heard Palin talking about the One Down, Five To Go subheading of their reunion gig and thought how remarkable it was that so many of them were still alive. But now, it’s two down. And the awful and obvious realisation that we have to do this for more times. I am team Jones and Palin though and so I just hope Palin is immortal or that I die before him, because I don’t want to be around on that day.
And perhaps the fact that I am shortly to meet Palin made this even more poignant. They were a terrific writing partnership- pretty much unbeatable in fact, but the most remarkable thing about them was their lifelong friendship. Even as the dementia took Jones away, Palin would still take him out for a drink every week. I thought of the pain this was causing to Palin even before I saw the heart-breaking interview in which he cried for his much-loved friend. For all the genius work of theirs that has meant so much to me (Life of Brian is not only in my top three comedy films of all time - and those three all jostle for top spot and change around, but it’s always those three) that friendship is the thing that burns into my soul and breaks my heart. But also mends my heart and fills it with hope.
We have much to thank Jones for. I feel that the tension between him and Cleese was probably the grit that in the oyster that turned their work into pearls. There was something wonderful about the derision and affection that Cleese directed at Jones when he couldn’t recall his lines in the 2014 show. They laughed in the face of the ravages of age, never quite forgetting their battles, but loving each other nonetheless.
But it hurts that he was taken from us whilst he still had so much to give.
This interview by Bruce Dessau shows how much Jones still had in him just six years ago, before dementia set in properly and fucked it all up.
Ah nuts. But thanks Terry, for showing me what was possible, giving me much to aim for and helping me through my English A level. Also thanks for giving me the time of day in that bookshop when I was 18 and didn’t even buy your book.
RHLSTP with the erudite and potty-mouthed Professor Francesca Stavrakopoulou is now up on
audio and
video.
If you're thinking of moving to BT broadband then you can get a £50 Amazon voucher and I'll get one too (though will put my money towards making more podcasts). It's a nice way to get some money and help us make more podcasts.But only if you're moving anyway.
The Bulb referral thing is still valid and I highly recommend them if you want renewable energy etc. And again my £50 will go into making podcasts.
