Albatross sketch

2022-12-15T13:47:49Z

174.105.159.102: /* Other appearances */

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2012}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{primary sources|date=December 2016}}
"'''Albatross'''" is a sketch from ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]''. It is particularly known{{cn|date=February 2015}} for its opening lines: "Albatross! Albatross! Albatross!"<ref name=AllTheWords-p167/>

The sketch first appeared on British television on 11 January 1970 in episode 13 of the first series, "[[List of Monty Python's Flying Circus episodes#13. Intermission|Intermission]]." It features [[John Cleese]] and [[Terry Jones]]. Despite its short running time (40 seconds) it has proven to be quite memorable for Python fans and was frequently performed during the team's live shows.

==The sketch==
A man, played by John Cleese, is dressed as an ice-cream girl in a cinema, although instead of the regular cinema snacks she is selling a dead [[albatross]] which is tied to a hawker tray [[The Rime of the Ancient Mariner|around his neck]]. A man (Terry Jones) approaches her and asks for two [[choc ice]]s. The girl aggressively makes clear she only sells an albatross and continues shouting to draw attention to her merchandise, while the potential customer keeps asking questions about the product, like "What flavour is it?" and "Do you get wafers with it?". Finally, the man buys two albatrosses for nine [[pence]] each. The salesgirl then shouts she is selling "[[gannet]] on a stick."<ref name=AllTheWords-p167>{{cite book | title = The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus: All the Words, Volume One | first1 = Graham | last1 = Chapman | first2 = John | last2 = Cleese | first3 = Terry | last3 = Gilliam | first4 = Eric | last4 = Idle | first5 = Terry | last5 = Jones | first6 = Michael | last6 = Palin | editor-first = Roger | editor-last = Wilmut | year = 1989 | publisher = Pantheon Books | location = New York, New York | isbn = 0-679-72647-0 | page = 167}}</ref>

Later during the episode, several other characters in other sketches shout "Albatross!" for seemingly no reason at all.<ref>''All the Words, Volume One'', pp. 168 and 175.</ref>

==Other appearances==
[[File:Monty Python Live 02-07-14 12 31 19 (14601405552).jpg|thumb|Albatross sketch at ''Monty Python Live (Mostly)'', London, in 2014.]]
The sketch was frequently performed live. In both the film ''[[Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl]]'' (1982) and the ''[[Monty Python Live (Mostly)]]'' stage show, the sketch eventually segues into "[[Nudge, Nudge]]" when Jones' character is directed into a pub, where he meets Eric Idle's "Arthur Name" character.

In ''[[Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl]]'', Cleese uses stronger language than in the original TV broadcast ("Of course you don't get fucking wafers with it, you cunt! It's a fucking albatross!") and verbally abuses the customer. Eventually, their dialogue is interrupted by the Colonel ([[Graham Chapman]]), who stops the sketch because of the "filthy" language. He tells Jones he is needed onstage for the next skit, then admonishes Cleese with "And you get off! [[Cross-dressing|You aren't even a proper woman!", to which Cleese replies, "Don't you oppress me, mate!"]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commonscatinline}}

{{Monty Python}}

[[Category:Monty Python sketches]]
[[Category:1970 in British television]]
[[Category:Fictional seabirds]]
[[Category:Fictional food and drink]]

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Albatross sketch