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Theatre

Twilight Of The Gods

And now for something completely different: Tim Madigan watches Nietzsche clash with Wagner.

As all the world knows, 2009 marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Amidst the myriad documentaries, cast member reunions and endless repetitions of the Dead Parrot Sketch, philosophers can take special pride in the fact that by combining absurdist humor with deep intellectual ruminations, the Pythons made philosophy seem hip.

In addition to the six Python cast members, there were a host of people behind the scenes who helped to make the TV series, films, books and albums the classics they became. One of these is Julian Doyle, a versatile film editor who worked with Monty Python from its earliest days. He also had an infamous cameo role as the police sergeant who abruptly ends Monty Python and the Holy Grail by putting his hand over the camera.

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