'Life of Brian' goes on stage tour

Monty Python star Eric Idle is taking his silliness back to the stage with “Not the Messiah”, a musical comedy that features a full orchestra.

After putting on the production in Toronto and Sydney, Australia, (and a one-off performance in upstate New York), Idle and composer-conductor John Du Prez are taking the show to the US for a limited run.

'Not the Messiah' gives a musical stage treatment to 'Life of Brian' the way 'Spamalot' did for 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'.

“In many ways, 'Spamalot' made it possible for us to do this sort of thing,” Idle said. “People take us seriously that we’ll put it on, but also it means that we’re not so obsessed, we don’t have to make a fortune out of it, we can just make it work for its own cost.”

Backed by a 104-piece orchestra, Idle and his crew will perform 'Not the Messiah' at Wolf Trap National Park in Vienna, Vienna; the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles; and the Mann Centre for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.

The Los Angeles show will also feature fireworks and a 32-strong bagpipe band.

The 65-year-old actor, writer and composer, who has created more than 300 comedic songs over the past 30 years, said he’s always been moved to set his comedy to music.

“Orchestras and choirs love it,” he said. “They don’t often get to wear miners’ helmets and do doo-wop.”