Unseen Chapman sketches will stay that way

A legal row has scuppered plans to premiere previously unseen Graham Chapman sketches at the Edinburgh Fringe.

News that the scripts were to get an airing 13 years after the former Python's death from cancer received huge publicity, with coverage in The Telegraph, The Times, on the BBC and elsewhere.

But now the three sketches have been yanked from the Sketch Club show at the Gilded Balloon in a dispute over copyright.

Problems flared after Brian West, one of the actors due to perform the work, appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live's Fi Glover programme to plug his show.

During the interview he played a pre-recorded performance of a sketch called DNA ­ even though he had previously be warned he did not have the rights to do so.

The US-based Graham Chapman Archives was also concerned about the huge amount of press coverage the show was getting, as a formal deal for the live performances had not even been signed.

Jim Yoakum, who runs the archive, said: "After hearing the Radio 5 broadcast via the net, I emailed [Brian] saying that he'd overstepped and that the sketches were being pulled.

"I was originally interested in doing something for the Fest as I thought it'd be fun, but before Brian and I could even come to terms on (1) exactly what material to do, (2) clearances, or (3) set up an agreement, he did interviews, called them 'undiscovered Monty Python', which is not entirely true, then ignored my requests that he cease publicity and not to record and broadcast any sketches."

West confirmed that the sketches ­ which also included Who's A Pretty Boy Then? About a gay budgie and the Life Of Brian-esque Busy Messiah - have been dropped from Sketch Club.

Meanwhile, John Cleese has slammed the idea of resurrecting 'lost' Python sketches, saying there is usually a very good reason why unperformed work hasn't been seen before.

He told The Sunday Times: "I would hate to think that people might mistake a few lines left out from the Life of Brian script as vintage Chapman.

"Kafka had the right idea when he asked that all his manuscripts be burnt after his death, although his relatives seeking a fortune disagreed. Maybe the best thing to do would be to set fire to Graham's old writing desk."

And he admits he is baffled why Python fans would want to rake over the minutiae of the past.

"It's all very confusing. Contrary to popular perception, we do not all sit around and watch old Python sketches."

Published: 21 Jul 2002