John Cleese bringing Monty Python's Life of Brian to the stage
John Cleese is working on a stage version of 'Monty Python's Life of Brian'.
The 81-year-old star revealed he is bringing the 1979 comedy film to theatres and confirmed that it will not be a musical but a play.
Announcing the project on Twitter, he wrote: "Today I finished the first draft of the script for the stage version of Life of Brian.
"Not a musical, as songs slow the pace down too much."
Cleese is hopeful that the show will be able to go ahead in 2022, but it will not star himself or any other living Monty Python members.
He added: "Depending on Covid, we might be able to do it in the second half of next year.
"No Pythons in the cast. We've had enough die already."
Cleese and his fellow Pythons - Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and Eric Idle and late troupe members Graham Chapman and Terry Jones - caused controversy around the world with the satirical movie which tells the fictitious story of Brian Cohen, a man born in Roman-occupied Judea who reluctantly finds himself mistaken for the Messiah with the plot featuring many parallels with the life of Jesus.
At the time of its release 'Life of Brian' was accused of being blasphemous and condemned by religious groups for mocking Christianity and it was banned or given an 18 certificate by 39 separate local authorities in the UK, whilst it was banned for eight years in Ireland and for a year in Norway.
The controversy did not stop the movie from being a box office office success and it is widely considered to be one of the greatest comedy films of all-time.
Cleese's project is not the first time a 'Monty Python' movie has been re-worked for the stage.
In 2004, Idle turned 1975 comedy 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' into hit musical 'Spamalot', which originally ran on Broadway in 2005 and went on to earn 14 Tony Awards nominations, winning in three categories, including Best Musical.
Paramount Pictures is currently turning the musical into a movie.
