When I ask you to think of a sketch comedy troupe (not a show like SCTV or SNL but an actual troupe) one of two names probably come up: Monty Python and the Kids in the Hall. You probably came up with these names because they were in the title of this blog post, but nonetheless these are two of the best, most successful and most influential names in sketch comedy.
In 1969 the British airwaves were taken over by some blokes by the names of Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, John Cleese and Michael Palin with a show called “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”. Similarly, in 1989, some hosers called Dave Foley, Mark McKinney, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch and Scott Thompson premiered their show “The Kids in the Hall”. Both shows where huge successes and got each troupe a cult following. Monty Python deconstructed and recreated the sketch-comedy genre; they completely changed comedy and what we find funny forever. The Pythons have been compared to The Beatles because of the revolutionary nature of their sketches and their format. If Monty Python were the first to do the sketch series properly then the Kids were the last to do so. The Kids in Hall’s show, though not as influential, was still quite ground-breaking. The Kids’ sketches had endings and did not follow the Pythons’ stream-of-consciousness style, but they proved to be equally as absurd as the Flying Circus sketches.
Due to both their series’ successes the Kids and the Pythons made their way into the feature film business. Monty Pythons first feature length film, containing all new material, was entitled “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” was a critical and commercial triumph. The film was such an accomplishment that the Pythons were able to produce two more: “Monty Python’s Life of Brian” and “Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life”. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the Kids’ film “Brain Candy”, the film was a complete disaster with a sloppy script and terrible chemistry between the Kids some of whom refused to even speak with each other when the camera was off.
You can actually even compare members of the two troupes fairly well. Bruce McCulloch is much like the Pythons’ Terry Jones, they are both equally known for their performances on screen and their direction behind the camera. Dave Foley is definitely the most well-known and independently successful of the Kids in the Hall much like John Cleese of the Pythons. This makes News Radio Dave Foleys’s Fawlty Towers. The similarities become even eerier than this. Both troupes’ homosexual members (Graham Chapman and Scott Thompson) were the only members of their respective troupes to be diagnosed with cancer. Due to Chapman’s death of cancer in 1989 Monty Python will not agree to a reunion (other than documentaries and interviews). Scott Thompson however overcame cancer and the Kids in the Hall released the 8-part mini-series in 2010 called “Death Comes to Town” as well as doing a series of live tours containing almost completely new material.
Monty Python and the Kids in the Hall, both such amazing comedic forces. So many of today's comedians have been inspired, influenced and shaped by these incredible groups of men. So I will leave you with a sketch from each troupe just to give you a taste of true brilliance.
Monty Python:
VS.
Kids in the Hall:
No comments:
Post a Comment