By Patrick MacDonald
Seattle Times music critic
Eric Idle, Monthy Python veteran, talked plenty of sex and locals Thursday in his "Greedy Bastard Tour" stop here.
He's not only greedy, he's cheeky!
"Monty Python" veteran Eric Idle talked and sang about sex, sex and more sex Thursday night at the Moore, including more references to the penis than a urology convention.
"The Penis Song," a withering parody of sophisticated show tunes, à la Noel Coward, came early in the set. T&A jokes showed up all night, as did variations of the F-word. A new Christmas song — or rather an anti-Christmas song — used the word, cleverly, in every line. The seasonal ditty, which Idle said he was performing for the first time, earned him one of several standing ovations.
Even local references took on suggestive undertones. Who knew "Sequim" could sound so dirty in the famous "Nudge Nudge" routine? It caused even Idle to break up.
Puget Sound, ferries, Bill Gates, the Space Needle and, of course, Starbucks also showed up in various skits, featuring Idle and his two main cohorts, tall, shaven-headed Peter Crabbe and blond, versatile Jennifer Julian.
Idle's writing partner, John Du Prez, played piano. Stage manager Gilli Moon Aliotti took part in some ensemble numbers, and assistant stage manager Scott Keeton played guitar.
As Idle pointed out, "Monty Python's Flying Circus" came to TV long ago. The eccentric British series ran from 1969 to '74 — only 45 episodes, but they were rebroadcast over and over for years, here and in England.
Much of the Moore show came from the series, and the tour's name is inspired by the fact that "Python" remains popular. The smattering of teenagers and college-age kids in the crowd indicated that it will continue to be.
"In 1969, a group of strange men got together, wearing strange clothes and talking in mysterious voices," Idle said. "But enough about Prince Charles and the royal family."
Among familiar "Python" skits were such songs as "Sit on My Face and Tell Me You Love Me" and "The Philosophers' Song" ("Immanuel Kant was a real pissant"), both audience singalongs, and such sketches as "The Argument Clinic" and, of course, "The Lumberjack Song," the final encore.
That encore was paid for, by the way, by the contents of the "encore bucket," actually a galvanized steel garbage can set down near the stage. In the spirit of "The Greedy Bastard Tour," Idle said the audience would have to pay for an encore, and they did — with coins, bills, a bra, some panties, a shoe and other assorted offerings.
Other bits in the show came from "Python" films, including the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from "Life of Brian" and the whole abuse rant from the castle-storming scene in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," performed by Crabbe, with lots of audience members mouthing along.
There were plenty of contemporary references, too, like one about Michael Jackson's new album: "Songs in A Minor."
After the show, Idle stayed and signed autographs in the lobby for several hundred fans. "He will sign anything you buy," a sign said at the souvenir booth.
Greedy bastard!
