Diaries 1969-1979_ The Python Years - Michael Palin [99]
For me it’s just head down and keep working. The three-day week does not so far seem to have damaged the country too much. The only real shortage is toilet rolls! But the foreign press make out we are almost in the state we were in in 1940, on the verge of collapse. Heath’s propaganda seems to be every bit as effective as Hitler’s was.
Monday, February 11th
Into London with Terry J to a meeting with Geoffrey Strachan at Methuen. He had read and liked our material for the Fegg book,1 would like to commission it – and started talking about size of the book, paper, art director, etc. Drank a Kronenbourg at the Printer’s Devil to celebrate the birth of Bert Fegg.
Friday, February 15th
Today Geoffrey rang to say that a board meeting of Methuen had officially approved our book project and he was going to go ahead and commission it. Meanwhile we have had meetings with a cartoonist called Martin Honeysett, who has in the last year drawn some very funny, Python-like cartoons for Punch and Private Eye. Terry was especially keen for Honeysett to be involved, as he had met him at a Punch party and taken a great liking to him. However, it turned out that Martin Honeysett had never met Terry in his life and was pleased, but a little bewildered, to get such an enthusiastic phone call from him. Terry had, in fact, met quite a different cartoonist.
Sunday, March 3rd
We have now completed seven shows at Drury Lane – ending last week with a grand flourish of two shows on Friday and two shows on Saturday. I am chewing pastilles and gargling with honey and lemon three times a day as a result.
The gilded, glittering Drury Lane must have been amazed by the scruffiness of the audience on the first night. Kean and other great British actors of the past would have turned in their graves if they could have seen the front row full of Gumby-knotted handkerchiefs on the opening night on Tuesday.
The reviews have been surprisingly extensive – it takes a second-hand collection of old TV material for critics to start taking Python really seriously. Harold Hobson was greatly impressed and called us true Popular Theatre – and Milton Shulman, perhaps our first critical friend on the TV series, was equally enthusiastic. Despite the fact that it’s an old show, already toured in the provinces and Canada, London critics have devoted enormous space to analysing it, even in the grudging Observer review (which described Terry and myself as ‘virtually indistinguishable’ and tending’to screech a lot’).
We’re in the fortunate position of not having to rely on reviews to sell our seats. Despite the fact that Drury Lane holds 2,200 people, we are booked solid for two weeks, we have extended our run to three weeks, and at every performance there are apparently touts out the front selling tickets for £5–£10.
Whilst we were Gumbying at Drury Lane, there was an election – one of the most exciting for years, in which Heath failed to frighten the country into massive anti-union protest and came out with fewer seats than Labour. Heath has not yet resigned and, as I write, is busy haggling with the Liberals and others to try and form a coalition. Suddenly British politics have become alive, volatile and exciting.
Monday, March 4th
Into our second week at Drury Lane, and a lot of business to do during the day.
Meet with the Henshaws1 and Nancy L and Ina [Lee Meibach].2 There were some sandwiches and white wine. Under