John Cleese: "Last Time To See Me Before I Die"

John Cleese

"Last Time To See Me Before I Die"

Jack Singer Concert Hall

Calgary Alberta

The Monday Morning "Nobody-Asked-Me-To, But-Here-I-Go-Anyway" concert review:

John Cleese, "Last Time To See Me Before I Die"

I posted a tweet about two minutes before last night's show started, and it was about two minutes into the actual show that I was laughing so hard I was crying. This is what happens when a consummate showman not only shares video highlights from a brilliant career, but fills the rest of his two-hour one-man show with the stories behind those clips.

Monty Python snippets and behind-the-scenes memories? Check!

Fawlty Towers reminiscences, along with classic footage? Check Check!

Movies, career and personal stories?? In spades.

Despite referring to an apparently unnecessary prompter on the wall in front of the mezzanine seats, Cleese never stumbled for a second as his clips and photographs synced perfectly with hilarious recollections of how his career was a blend of what he referred to as simply luck - getting discovered by the late David Frost, making a star out of Marty Feldman by urging him away from the writing desk and out in front of the cameras - last night's performance was more like a rare opportunity to sit one-on-one with the gentleman as he reflected on TV & film scenes most people can recite back word for word.

Relaxed and hilarious, Cleese had the audience in the palm of his hands as he walked us along the path of his comedy life, from the small town he grew up in in England to explaining the importance of dark humour and taking risks with comedy. Plus how good luck can reward you when you are hard at work doing what you are meant to be doing.

What we were meant to be doing last night was sitting exactly where we were - that's the kind of luck that makes for one unforgettable evening...

Later!