Diaries 1969-1979_ The Python Years - Michael Palin [146]
Tuesday, May 13th
Eric’s new show Rutland Weekend Television was on for the first time last night. Quite a milestone for Python – the first TV manifestation of the parting of the ways. Not a world-shattering show, but a very palatable half-hour’s TV. I didn’t feel that Python was being used. Of course there were ideas which Eric would not have written without the influence of five years with Python, but it was still very much his work, his show and his particular kind of humour. Bits went on beyond the cutting stage, some ideas were woolly and it lacked the solid richness of Python, but I enjoyed it and TG, who was watching with me, felt the same. A neat, nice and simple idea too – a TV station with no money. Neil Innes as great as ever, and the camerawork made it seem anything but cheap. GC rang afterwards, he didn’t like it. I smell grapes.
Stephen Frears, the director of Three Men in a Boat, comes round to see me. He makes the distinction between Pythons and ‘actors’ and says that the others he will get will be actors. He ends up giving me the script to read and says he thinks of me as Harris. We chatted for an hour or so. He didn’t relax me a great deal – he’s rather a disconcerting guy, with big, round, slightly poppy eyes, unkempt hair and clothes and a rambling, discursive style of talking which makes it very difficult for me to tell what he’s actually saying.
After I’d read it, I rang him back, as he’d asked. He was pleased that I liked the script (Stoppard – very impressive, funny and yet full of period feeling, a sympathetic adaptation of the book, full of love of the Thames Valley). But he rambled a little about getting all the three actors at once, then apportioning parts only after he’d selected all three and played around with their relative ages, physical appearances, etc, etc. So would I mind waiting for a final decision? This confused me, I must say, but all I could say was I was 100% enthusiastic and to be involved as any of the three characters would be tremendous fun. I’m not sure whether he is preparing me for the worst or not.
Helen had made a superb steak and kidney pie with a Three Men in a Boat design on it. We ate it with a half-bottle of Bollinger ’64!! A little prematurely, perhaps.
Thursday, May 15th
Mid-afternoon and I’m rewriting the last two pages of one of our Crucible plays1 when Tony Stratton rings. He was having dinner last night with Steve O’Rourke – Pink Floyd’s manager. Floyd are very keen to get us on the bill for their prestigious open-air gig at Knebworth in July. We’d said no, but O’Rourke has made us a new offer. For five of us, a half-hour cabaret appearance, £1,000 each in notes, no questions asked, ready at the end of the show. It’s like an offer from the underworld.
Cleese rang. The Sunday Express have apologised for the article a month or so back in which I apparently accused John of working for money only. They want to give John and me a lunch. John keen on acceptance, which I went along with against my better judgement.
Friday, May 16th
Read Three Men in a Boat, as I got a call asking me to go and meet Frears and Tom Stoppard for tea at the Waldorf at 5.00. On re-reading, Harris is really the part I would like (he’s the funniest), though I still feel I’m physically wrong.
At the Waldorf at 5.05. Tea is taken in a tall-ceiling lounge, with steps down to a sunken dance floor. Frears and Stoppard are discreetly tucked away on a sofa in the corner. Frears, crumpled and worried-looking, Stoppard, a lean and neatly dressed contrast. Frears introduces me to Stoppard and we make small talk about sharing agents, etc. Tea is ordered. It turns out that Stoppard is very easy-going about the play. Evidently it is Frears who is going through agonies of indecision on the casting. There doesn’t seem to be too much worry about myself. Stoppard is complimentary and says virtually do whichever part you like. Much