GLOBETROTTING comedian, actor and writer Michael Palin is returning to the stage with a new show to mark the paperback publication of his diaries.
Following the success in 2014 of his landmark Travelling to Work tour, Palin is coming to Middlesbrough with a brand new one-man stage show celebrating the 30 years covered by his three volumes of diaries.
The tour will cover 17 venues across the UK and Ireland, reaching nearly 24,000 people and will focus on cities that he didn’t manage to visit last year, calling in to Middlesbrough Town Hall on Friday, September 25.
In the course of his two-hour show Palin brings to life 30 extraordinary years, from the end of the 1960s when his first child – and a new series called Monty Python’s Flying Circus – took their first faltering steps, to the end of the 1990s when Python had become the most influential comedy team in the world and Palin himself a hugely successful television traveller.
The diverse directions of his career will be illustrated by a rich and often rare archive of film, video, photos and recordings.
As forthright about failure as he is baffled by success, Palin shares with the audience the often hilarious, always honest and occasionally downright embarrassing experiences of a life that can’t resist a challenge.
He hopes that The Thirty Years Tour will focus attention on the importance of keeping diaries, and encourage people to do as he did, and start to keep an account of their daily life.
In his new website www.themichaelpalin.com, to be launched, along with the tour on June 2, he will offer support, ideas and advice to those who decide to Write It Down.
Michael Palin said: “The attraction of a diary is that it remains in its own time. It reflects only what happened on that particular day. It doesn’t flatter and it isn’t distorted by what happened later.
“In that way it’s the most truthful record of real life. And it’s your own life and nobody else’s.
“Keeping a diary means that all that seeing and hearing, loving and laughing, excitement and embarrassment, gladness and gloom that make you what you are is not forgotten.
“A diary blows away the mists of time, and offers your life back to you. My message is simple. Get yourself a notebook. Write down whatever you want to remember over the last 24 hours…and keep on doing it.”
Middlesbrough Town Hall Business Development Manager Rob Guest said: “Whenever he has been asked if there was anywhere in the world he hasn’t been to, Michael Palin has always famously replied, Middlesbrough!
“We are delighted he can now cross Middlesbrough off his list of places to visit although sorry he’ll now have to think of another answer to the question!”
Guisborough Bookshop will have signed box sets available exclusively of all three paperback volumes of Michael Palin’s Diaries at the Town Hall on the night of the show.
Travelling to Work – Diaries 1988 – 1998 will be published by W&N in paperback on September 24, price £12.99, e-book £6.99.
Michael Palin joins a stellar list of top comedians heading to the Town Hall later this year including Patrick Monahan (June 13), Kevin Bridges (July 16), Alan Carr (July 29 & 30), Jimmy Carr (August 9) Paddy McGuinness (September 29), Roy Chubby Brown (October 1), Chris Ramsey (October 24), Alan Davies (October 30), Lee Nelson (November 12), Milton Jones (November 20) and Dave Gorman (November 21).
- Michael Palin: The Thirty Years Tour
Middlesbrough Town Hall, Friday, September 25.30pm.
Tickets £29.50 on sale from Middlesbrough Town Hall Box Office on 01642 729 729 or online at www.middlesbroughtownhallonline.co.uk