The half empty Center for the Arts Mainstage Theatre that Eric Idle performed to Sunday tells that many people would argue whether "Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail" is one of the funniest movies ever made.
But the standing ovation Idle received just for walking onstage proves the argument would be fierce.
Other Pythons have gone to reinvent themselves after the demise of their fabled comedy troop. Terry Gilliam has established himself as an adept director ("Brazil," "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"). Terry Jones writes both children's and history books and Michael Palin hosted a travel series for the BBC.
Even a travel show is at the very least something new. Idle does not even pretend to aspire towards breaking new ground. Responding to hopes for a future Monty Python reunion, his reply was priceless.
"No," he said. "We've realized the less we do, the more you pay."
The performance stayed true to the low standard set by Monty Python aficionados wishing only to see the past rehashed. Idle's performance was largely comprised of material first performed 20 years ago. The handful of new offerings was little more than a tacked on afterthought.
The glimpses of improvisation proved that Idle was capable of more. He was briefly hilarious as he interacted with people donating to his "encore bucket" and insulted latecomers trying to sneak in undetected.
The standing ovation before Idle's encore paled in comparison to the riotous applause that met him when he first took the stage, though it is doubtful that anyone left overly disappointed. They got what they came for at the very beginning; the pleasure of being able to boast, "I saw that guy from Monty Python live once."
