Palin wants film brought to
Michael Palin wants to see a stage version of Monty Python’s Life Of Brian.
He said the success of Jerry Springer The Opera – and the controversy it caused – made him believe the time was right to bring it to the theatre.
The film caused outrage when it was released in 1979, with many Christians believing it was blasphemous and leading to its ban by many local councils.
Palin told Teletext: "I don't see why Life Of Brian couldn't come to stage now. That would really get people talking. In fact, we could do it alongside Jerry Springer."
He also branded the furore over the BBC’s screening of the Opera, which attracted 47,000 complaints before broadcast, as ‘ridiculous’.
He said: “I don't find it offensive at all. The fact that only a few hundred people complained afterwards shows that all the fuss is ridiculous. It sounded to me to be an orchestrated campaign. How can people be offended? Even if someone did a send-up of Michael Palin, I'd probably go and see it."
Any such move to bring Life Of Brian to the stage would ie in with Eric Idle’s revival of Monty Python And The Holy Grail as a Broadway musical. His project, Spamalot, is currently previewing in Chicago before opening in New York next month.Published: 18 Jan 2005
