Eric Idle Returns To NZ This November
by Eric Idle · SCOOPSeptember 24, 2026
FANE Australia is proud to announce An Evening of Idle Conversation, a live tour celebrating legendary Monty Python star Eric Idle and the launch of his brand-new memoir, Idle in Provence: A Brief History of Thyme.
Eric Idle will take to the stage and tell the story of his incredible life like you’ve never heard it before. Audiences will go on journey - from the giddy heights of Monty Python to the trauma of his childhood: the highs and bitter lows behind one of the most beloved and celebrated actors and writers of all time.
Sunday, November 22 - Palais Theatre, Melbourne
Tuesday, November 24 - Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland
Thursday, November 26 - Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch
Sunday, November 29 - St James Theatre, Wellington
Saturday, December 5 – QPAC, Brisbane
Tuesday, December 8 - State Theatre, Sydney
Thursday, December 10 - Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide
Saturday, December 12 - Riverside Theatre, Perth
Tickets and further details at fane.com.au/ericidle
"There's nothing quite like the connection you make with people in a live setting. It's a dance between performer and audience." – Eric Idle
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After losing his father at Christmas 1945, Idle spent 12 years in boarding schools before he escaped to Cambridge, fell in with five other troublemakers, and changed comedy forever.
‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ became Britain’s favourite funeral song. The Rutles became the world’s first mockumentary, George Harrison mortgaged his house to fund Life of Brian, and a medieval coconut gag became Spamalot, a Tony Award–winning Best Musical.
Expect candid memories of the friends he has loved and lost – Graham Chapman, George Harrison, Robin Williams – alongside fortunes made and squandered, feuds and reunions, a brush with cancer, and why, at 83, he is still looking on the bright side of life.
Unscripted, in conversation, and with the chance to put your own questions to him live on stage, An Evening of Idle Conversation is 60 years of show business told the way only Eric Idle can tell it.
In celebration of his brand-new memoir, Idle in Provence: A Brief History of Thyme, copies will be available at each event.
FANE AUSTRALIA PRESENTS AN EVENING OF IDLE CONVERSATION
Tuesday, November 24 - Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland
Thursday, November 26 - Isaac Theatre Royal, Christchurch
Sunday, November 29 - St James Theatre, Wellington
ABOUT ERIC IDLE:
Eric Idle is a comedian, actor, author, and singer-songwriter who found immediate fame with the sketch-comedy series Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The group’s films include Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, and The Meaning of Life. Eric wrote, directed, and created The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash, the world’s first mockumentary, and the Tony Award–winning musical Spamalot. His memoir Always Look on the Bright Side of Life was a New York Times bestseller; his latest, Idle in Provence: A Brief History of Thyme, is out now through Penguin Random House.
ABOUT FANE:
Fane connects you with the most exciting names in culture and entertainment.
From intimate theatre settings to large-scale tours, we curate, produce, and promote live shows, bringing you closer to the people you love, and creating lasting experiences that tap into the conversations of the moment. Fane is trusted for its distinctive and dynamic programming, offering something for everyone. Highlights include Nigella Lawson, Yotam Ottolenghi, Bear Grylls, Miriam Margolyes, Hannah Ferguson, Mary Beard, Guenther Steiner, Tim Minchin and many more.
Since launching in 2017, Fane has grown into an industry leader with a global operation. With offices in London and Sydney, Fane events reach audiences in Europe, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
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