Back in April, Eric Idle staged four nights of an unusual play called What About Dick? down at the Orpheum Theater here in Los Angeles. It was a semi-coherent affair that overcame its confusion by having a stellar cast that included Tracey Ullman, Billy Connolly, Jane Leeves, Russell Brand, Eddie Izzard and other funny folks. Everyone in the house had a very good time, though I doubt a one of them could have explained the storyline…if indeed there was one. My friend Mickey Paraskevas and I had the best seats in the place for the first of the four performances: Front row center.
Mr. Idle has now released What About Dick? as a video you can download for six bucks. I paid my six bucks last night but didn't get it. They give you three download attempts for your money. I tried twice…and each time, I only got the first eight minutes before the download quit. I'm assuming that's because it had just gone online and everyone in the world was trying to get it at the same time…or maybe they just don't have things configured properly yet. I think I'll wait 'til next week to try and use my last attempt. Mickey has seen it and he says you can't see us in the audience. I assume that's because they didn't use much (or any) of that first performance, the one we attended. Comparing notes with friends who attended one of the later ones, it would appear a lot of rewriting was done, including a complete swapping-out of the closing number for a reprise of an earlier tune.
I think it's very much worth six bucks to see those performers perform even if you won't always be certain just what they're performing. Ms. Ullman is particularly hilarious doing whatever it is she does up there. So I'd recommend you go to the site and buy it — but you might want to wait a while. Here's a brief preview…