Monty Python’s Live reunion finale in a cinema near you, or perhaps Sundance TV

If you didn’t book yourself a ticket for one of Monty Python’s 10 sold-out shows this July at The O2 Arena in London, then you’ll have to enjoy it from the comfort of your own home or local cinema.

Which is a much more attainable goal.

The Monty Python Live (Mostly) reunion shows begin July 1 and run July 1-5, then again July 15-20.

You can check this updated list of cinemas to see who’ll be offering paid screenings of Monty Python’s finale on July 20. It looks as though screenings also will be held in the nights following the finale, too. At this writing, the lone NYC location was Regal Union Square Stadium 14, with five other locations within 29 kilometers (oh, those Brits and their metrics).

Also today, AMC Networks announced that Sundance Channel Global had acquired the exclusive TV rights to “Monty Python Live (Mostly) One Down, Five To Go” from Eagle Rock Entertainment. Sundance Channel will premiere the special live in Latin America, the Middle East and North America and at a later date in other international territories.

However, an AMC Networks publicist clarified to The Comic’s Comic that this acquisition represents the global edition of the Sundance Channel — no U.S. premiere date has been announced yet.

Their sister station, IFC, had hosted Monty Python back in 2009 for the group’s 40th anniversary.

So. Stay tuned!

No matter how you see Monty Python reunited next month, what you’ll see is sure to be a two-hour retrospective of the sketch group’s greatest hits (minus the late Graham Chapman, although with the rise of holograms, who knows, right?), reimagined for a new generation of comedy fans and performed by the aging quintet.

As the surviving members revealed to the media this month, of course, it’s the money that reunited them, ultimately.

John Cleese told Time Out London: “Most people work because they have to, but some of us are lucky enough to do things that we enjoy. So we’re certainly doing it for the money, but also because we think it’s going to be a fun experience. At 74, I welcome these experiences.”

Eric Idle said legal debts from a lawsuit brought upon by his Spamalot musical had much to do with it.

Idle told Newsweek the idea for a final Python show came up during conversation with Queen’s manager, Jim Beach. “He told us if we did a night at O2 we could clear all this [debt],” Idle said.  “Suddenly a boring business discussion became a creative meeting, and everybody got very excited. It was that simple. When we decided to do it, everybody got very happy. It is a wonderful thing. To be able to get together with old friends from 50 years ago and do Python for a last time, to come out, perform it, send it ’round the world and say, ‘That’s it. That’s the final night,’ I think that’s tremendously fortunate. Nobody ever has the opportunity to do that in show business. You never know it’s your last night.”

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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