Monty Python with Carol Cleveland
Monty Python will include late member Graham Chapman in their live comedy show.
The group have reunited for a performance at The O2 in London, which will take place on July 1, 2014 and although Graham died in 1989 at the age of 48 the remaining members intend to feature him on stage and even have a plan to incorporate him in some sketches.
Speaking at a press conference at London's Playhouse Theatre on Thursday afternoon (21.11.13) to announce the one-off show, Python member Eric Idle, 70, said: "He will be there on screen and we'll be incorporating him and even trying to perform with him at one point. He will be active in it. We have actually told him we're going to be on and if there is a God he'll show up."
Terry Jones, 71, added: "I think we'll miss Graham quite a lot."
To ensure no other members of the comedy troupe - whose combined age is 357 - pass away during the show, a medical team is set to on hand at the arena in case anyone falls ill.
Terry Gilliam, 72, joked: "There will be a medical team standing by for the rest of the cast. We don't want to lose anyone yet until the show is over."
Referring to the strap line on the 'Monty Python Live' poster which reads "one down, five to go", Palin said: "We have got another line, "two down, four to go" just in case ... There will be medical teams available."
The performance will consist of a collection of the Pythons' greatest sketches from their TV show 'Monty Python's Flying Circus' and scenes and songs from their films - 'And Now for Something Completely Different', 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail', 'Monty Python's Life of Brian' and 'Monty Python's The Meaning of Life'.
Gilliam's surreal animations will also feature prominently.
Since news of the Monty Python reunion broke all the members have been in shock at the overwhelmingly positive reaction to their reformation.
Jones said: "I'm most surprised, I'm astonished really."
Michael Palin, 70, said: "I think it's pretty amazing actually, you don't know about this sort of thing until you come up with it and see how people take it. The general feeling is that people seem to like the fact we're going to get together again, it's something they want to see, to cheer them up.
John Cleese, 74, revealed the reunion could have happened sooner but Palin took a lot of persuading.
He said: "Mike chickened out last time, so he was probably the hardest work to convince ... The thing is we just laugh a lot when we're together, we always have. When we have dinner together we laugh more than I think we do at any other time."
The Monty Python team will also be joined on stage by Carol Cleveland, who will appear as the 'blonde bombshell' she often portrayed in 'Monty Python's Flying Circus'.
Tickets for 'Monty Python Live' go on sale on Monday November 25 at 10am at MontyPythonLive.com
Tagged in John Cleese Monty Python Terry Jones