Very silly party politics : surrealism and satire in the ‘Pythonesque’

2019 sees the 50th anniversary of the iconic British television comedy series Monty Python’sFlying Circus (BBC: 1969-74). This article focuses on the concept of ‘Pythonesque’, placingthe broadly political satirical content that is evident within the Pythons’ mainstream TVwork and in selected subsequent film work at the centre of the notion of ‘Pythonesque’. Itwill be suggested, moreover, that the Pythons’ socio-cultural critical position is embedded ina long established British literary satirical tradition. Further, this article will aim to show that‘Pythonesque’ incongruity, whilst adopting the aesthetic of the nihilistic cabaret of theDadaists, was further influenced by the contemporary strain of British vernacular surrealismthat permeated twentieth century popular performance through Music Hall, Variety comedyand The Goons, and also borrows Surrealist satirical perspectives. This evaluation of‘Pythonesque’ fusion of satirical and surreal elements will posit that the comedians weresimultaneously behind the times; of their time; and, in their prescience, some ways ahead oftheir time in their construction of humorous commentary on British societal mores and theirvividly underscoring of the absurdity of the institutions they targeted. Key Words: Monty Python, Satire, Surrealism, Comedy, ‘Pythonesque