Comedy legend John Cleese is set to embark on a UK tour this autumn, marking over 50 years since the release of the iconic film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The 86-year-old will host special events featuring a screening of the 1975 classic, which he will introduce, followed by a 45-minute question and answer session with fans.
Cleese on the Film's Enduring Appeal
Cleese expressed his surprise at the film's lasting popularity, stating: "I'm delighted to be celebrating more than 50 years of Holy Grail with these incredible live events around the country, mainly because I genuinely never expected either the film or myself to last this long." During the sessions, he will delve into the making of the film and its legacy, offering attendees the chance to pose their own questions.
Tour Dates and Venues
The tour kicks off at Basingstoke Anvil Arts on 1 September and concludes at Leeds Grand Theatre on 22 September. Stops include Manchester, Newcastle, and Birmingham. Tickets are currently on sale, priced at £39.50. Monty Python and the Holy Grail famously follows King Arthur and his knights on their divine quest to locate the Holy Grail.
Full Tour Schedule
- September 1 – Basingstoke Anvil Arts
- September 2 – Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall
- September 3 – Cambridge Corn Exchange
- September 5 – Milton Keynes Theatre
- September 6 – Buxton Opera House
- September 7 – New Brighton Floral Pavilion
- September 8 – York Grand Opera House
- September 9 – Newcastle Tyne Theatre
- September 11 – Torquay Princess Theatre
- September 12 – Woking New Victoria
- September 14 – Watford Colosseum
- September 15 – Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre
- September 17 – Cheltenham Town Hall
- September 18 – Bedford Corn Exchange
- September 19 – Richmond Theatre
- September 20 – Birmingham Town Hall
- September 21 – Manchester Opera House
- September 22 – Leeds Grand Theatre
Cleese's Career Highlights
Beyond this iconic film, Cleese starred alongside the original Monty Python troupe – Sir Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, and the late Graham Chapman – in other cinematic successes such as Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983). The groundbreaking, surreal sketches of Monty Python's Flying Circus, first broadcast on the BBC in 1969, profoundly influenced comedy and popular culture, earning the group the moniker "the Beatles of comedy."
Cleese also achieved significant acclaim with A Fish Called Wanda (1988), co-starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Palin, which featured an Oscar-winning performance from Kevin Kline. Another enduring success was the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers, set in a fictional Torquay hotel. Only 12 episodes were made between 1975 and 1979, with Cleese developing the character of Basil Fawlty after being fascinated by the rude behaviour of real-life hotelier Donald Sinclair. This tour follows a successful stage adaptation of Fawlty Towers, which ran at London's Apollo Theatre last year before touring the UK and Ireland.
