Idle Frolics With the Python Legacy

Eric Idle is one silly lad. He was probably born silly and most certainly grew up silly. Anyone who knows a twit about Monty Python can tell you that.

Now stuck firmly in adulthood at 57, Idle remains devoutly so. That was clear at the Sun Theatre in Anaheim Wednesday night as he unveiled “Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python,” a song and skit revue that was irreverent, sexy (nudge, nudge, wink, wink) and, most of all, silly.

It helped if Pythonian humor is your thing.

“Sillypalooza,” as it’s also called, got underway when Idle emerged from a large Spam can in the glittering guise of that familiar master of ceremonies, Kenny Lust. Kenny made several appearances during the two-hour show, mostly on video, to move things along in his usual smarmy way.

He had to be diligent because there was much to get to. Idle, borrowing from 30 years of Python comedy, enacted some of the best known bits, including “I’d Like an Argument,” “The Spanish Inquisition,” “Nudge, Nudge, Wink, Wink” and “Albatross.”

Idle also offered up tunes like “I Like Chinese,” “The Bruces’ Philosophy Song,” “The Penis Song,” “Every Sperm Is Sacred,” “Money Song,” “The Galaxy Song” and a bunch of others, most from earlier Python days.

There was a new one, too, called “The Getty Song.” Apparently inspired by Idle being barred from using the word “penis” during his free concert at the Getty Center in Malibu last summer, the ditty points out that there are plenty of male and female body parts to view in the museum’s collection.

Idle did note that the Getty concert inspired this scheduled 23-city tour. Idle’s next stop is tonight at the Universal Amphitheatre.

The Getty show was like a quip compared to this more elaborate incarnation. Idle has brought in a trio of dancing girls, the small Rutland Sympathy Orchestra directed by John Du Prez and the Bruces (otherwise known as the All-Australian Drinking Quartet), among other helpmates to propel the evening.

The funniest moments were obviously mixed with nostalgia as the audience laughed on cue at punch lines they’ve heard repeatedly in episodes of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” and the troupe’s movies. That didn’t provide many surprises but there was a feeling of pleasant clubbiness in the air.

Even that vibe couldn’t help Idle during some patches, though. Python comedy has always veered from subversive and smart (think “The Bruces’ Philosophy Song,” with its clever lyrics about Socrates, Sartre and other men with big brains) to just dopey and predictable, and that was the case when “Luciano Pastarotti” was introduced. At least this satire was mercifully short as the character was soon dragged away after getting bonked by a large mallet.

Idle briefly became reflective after intermission when he mused on his Python chums. No mention of a possible reunion, but Idle did squelch reports that members don’t much like one another these days.

Idle said Michael Palin is “the nicest” Python, Terry Jones was “the heart and liver” of the group, Terry Gilliam’s creativity was irreplaceable and Graham Chapman (who died in 1989) was the “glue” that kept it all together. Oh, and that John Cleese is “the tallest and the richest.”

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* The “Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python” tour continues tonight at Universal Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza. 8:15 p.m. $35-$65. (714) 740-2000 or (213) 480-3232.