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John Cleese

Michael Berkeley鈥檚 guest is John Cleese. With Tchaikovsky, Scott Joplin and John Williams.

John Cleese has been making us laugh for more than 50 years. Back in the 1970s, he became a comedy legend in Monty Python and in Fawlty Towers, and he now has a second generation of fans, discovering for themselves his unique combination of surreal humour, verbal pyrotechnics and farce. So much so that even now, as he enters his eighties, John Cleese is recognised in the street all across the world.

With almost six million Twitter followers, his is still a powerful voice, mocking those in power and generally trying to stir things up a bit.

This programme was recorded while John was in Britain for a couple of weeks, over from LA to work on the script for the musical version of A Fish Called Wanda. In conversation with Michael Berkeley, he looks back on his childhood in Weston-super-Mare and the physical awkwardness that made him stand out from an early age 鈥 鈥渟ix feet of chewed string鈥, as one of his teachers remarked. He remembers his fateful early decision not to be a lawyer but to try comedy instead. And he shares what he鈥檚 learned about the strange unconscious process of creativity.

Music choices include Tchaikovsky, Scott Joplin and John Williams, as well as comedy sketches by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore 鈥 and John's favourite sketch from his own career, a double-act with Rowan Atkinson, 鈥淏eekeeping鈥.

Produced by Elizabeth Burke
A Loftus Media production for 成人快手 Radio 3

Available now

38 minutes

Last on

Sun 12 Dec 2021 12:00

Music Played

  • Pietro Mascagni

    Easter Hymn (Cavalleria Rusticana)

    Singer: Jane Eaglen. Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra. Conductor: Carlo Rizzi.
  • George Gershwin

    Rhapsody in Blue

    Performer: Oscar Levant. Orchestra: The Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor: Eugene Ormandy.
  • Stanley Myers

    Cavatina (The Deer Hunter)

    Performer: John Williams.
  • John Du Prez

    A Fish Called Wanda - Suite

    Performer: John Williams.
  • Scott Joplin

    The Entertainer

    Ensemble: Soundtrack.
  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Violin Concerto in D major, Op.35 (1st mvt: Allegro moderato)

    Performer: Guy Braunstein. Orchestra: 成人快手 Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Kirill Karabits.

Broadcast

  • Sun 12 Dec 2021 12:00

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