Idle plans to conduct Python musical market research

Eric Idle plans to ask the audiences at his upcoming US concert tour whether they like the title Spamelot for the musical version of Monty Python And The Holy Grail, which is due to open on Broadway in the spring of 2005.

"I like the title a lot but I was thinking it might be smart to ask audiences if they liked as much as I do," he tells Daily Variety.

"After all, they are the ones who will be paying Broadway prices to see the show. So there’s a good chance the title may change."

Idle is adapting the musical from the 1975 screenplay he wrote with the other Pythons, the late Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin.

Idle will also collaborate in writing the music and lyrics for the show, which will be directed by Mike Nichols.