Idle plans Life Of Brian oratoria

Eric Idle is planning a new musical based on Monty Python’s Life Of Brian.

The comic hopes follow the international success of Spamalot, with Not the Messiah (He's A Very Naughty Boy).

The show, partly inspired by Handel's Messiah, will premiere in Toronto in June as part of the city's inaugural Luminato Festival of the Arts.

The festival describes the show as ‘a light-hearted oratorio’. Which will be conducted by Idle’s cousin Peter Oundjian, and performed with a narrator, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, guest soloists and choir.

John Du Prez, who worked with Idle on creating songs for Spamalot, again will collaborate on the new project, which will run from June 1 to 4.

Idle has not revealed much about the new show, but he did tell Hollywood trade paper Variety: ‘I promise it will be funnier than Handel, although probably not as good.’

Life Of Brian’s best-known tune Always Look On The Bright Side of Life, had previously been purloined for Spamalot.

That show, based on Monty Python And The Holy Grail, has taken $100m at the Broadway box office, has been a hit in the West End, and will open in Las Vegas next month.

Published: 15 Feb 2007