I ordered my tickets online. I was originally slightly saddened when I saw my seats were two rows from the last row in the orchestra section. I had visions of needing to bring binoculars in order to see the stage. As the day approached, I began playing my Python music CD's in the car going to and from work as well as driving my wife nuts humming snippets of the songs around the house. I wasnt quite sure how my wife would enjoy herself as she has never been a real staunch fan of their brand of humor. It seems I worried needlessly on both counts.
The Byham theater is an old vaudeville theater that has been renovated. It's a venue that definitely would come by the term 'intimate' honestly. Although our seats were almost as far back as you could get in the orchestra level, there was no problem seeing the stage or performers quite well throughout the evening. It was fun talking to people that I had never met before about all things Python and their stories. There was an instant brotherhood or sisterhood that exists among the fans that even though you may have never met each other before, you feel as comfortable around them as if you've known them your entire life. The stage was fairly sparse. A lamp, an overstuffed chair, a few other chairs, and assorted little knick knacks. It resembled the type of living room you would expect to see in an older persons home. (More likely an eccentric older person's home) Shortly after 7:30pm, the lights dimmed and the cheering started immediately. It was only after several seconds that you could actually hear that there was music going on under the applause and cheers for someone not even on the stage yet. It took several more seconds to fully recognize the music being played, the "Spam" song. When Eric finally walked on stage, a decent portion of the audience rose to their feet in ovation for him. No, I was not one of them at this point, but I can understand why they could. Eric writes in his daily diary of this tour that people,
"talk about Python 'saving' them, of making them feel not alone while growning up.........I know how important 'Beyond The Fringe' was to me in my life so I can easily empathize with them."
I dont know that Python exactly saved me, but it did let me know that it was okay to laugh at the absurdities of life. It also taught me more then anything else, the healing power of laughter. Granted, its not humor that everyone will neccessarily get or enjoy, but its humor that I find to be liberating and allows me to laugh at things that might be considered to be off color without being neccessarily vulgar or downright offensive. When he came out and opened with a short monologue followed with a bit from his Rutland Isles CD about the combined size of every penis in the world before breaking into "The Penis Song", it was funny without being rude or insulting. Thats something that I dont think a lot of comedians today understand the difference between the two. All too often I see comics that mistake shock value or foul language for humor.
The sense of commraderie in the audience became very apparent when material that was familiar to all was being performed. You could hear the dialogue being echoed in the audience at several times throughout the evening and at times the laughter and applause would even begin a few seconds before the actual punchline would be delivered. Getting a chance to sing along with Eric on songs like "I Like Chinese" and the two big audience sing alongs just before the intermission, "The Philosophy Song" and "Sit On My Face" allowed me to feel as if I was an actual part of something that I enjoyed so much over the last 25 years or so of my life. The cast of people he had helping him out where exceptionally good in their own right. Jennifer Julian, aside from looking lovely, has an angelic singing voice that really shone througout the evening. Peter Crabbe is a rather tall gentlemen who seems like he would have fit in quite well with the orignal Python crew. I am surprised I have never heard of him before this tour. He was absolutely hilarious. Eric's musical director, John Du Prez, was also a constant force on stage playing piano to accompany the songs and skits and on occasion, actually taking part in the dialogue of insanity going on around him.
After rougly two hours, Eric checked out the 'encore bucket' to see if he had collected enough money for an encore. (He then announces that the money collected DOES go to charity....if he would say that at the start he would collect quite a bit more I would think, but it would tend to weaken the gag, so I can understand) Then it was time for a final song, "The LumberJack Song". The entire audience loudly joining in and clapping along. When the song was over the entire troup received a well earned standing ovation. Yes, everyone on stage really put a lot of hard work in on their performances. No one was sleepwalking through anything. Yet, I think an equal reason for the ovation was that for a few hours, we all got to experience, live and in the flesh, something that meant so much to us growing up. Something that helped to shape our collective sense of humor and in my case, something that often times would have me gasping for air through intense fits of laughter while holding my aching sides. I think thats just as much why they received the standing ovation. We were all taken back to a time when life and the world was a much simpler place for each of us.
To cap off the evening, for those of us that purchased any merchandise, Eric came out after the show and would sign them for us. Being in the rear of the theater, I was able to get fairly close to the head of the line for when he came out. As he was signing the items that I bought, I thanked him for the laughter over the years and told him that since he at least comes out on the road once in a while to meet the fans, he should rank a bit higher then the 'sixth' nicest Python, to which he chuckled. I would have loved to have had more time, but I didnt want people behind me getting mad and I knew that they had to be in Cleveland for a show the next night, so I shook his hand and moved on. I went over and sat next to the previously mentioned Peter Crabbe where I complimented him as well and wished them all well on the remainder of the tour. A very nice gesture on the part of the performers to take the time to actually meet the people that they mean so much too.
All in all, an evening I will never forget and one of the best times I've had. Thanks Eric!!