2. They're Too old
The surviving Pythons have a combined age of 357, which is perhaps why this reunion was so unexpected. The shows will no doubt be physically strenuous, requiring stamina and concentration- two things the elderly aren't renowned for. Already, there are signs that age and infirmity have taken their toll on the set lists. Asked about the Ministry of Silly Walks, John Cleese said: "That's impossible now because I have an artificial knee and an artificial hip, so there's no chance of that now." Which is a shame, because it's an iconic sketch, as responsible as any for embedding the team in the popular consciousness. A reunion seems pointless when the laughs you can generate are limited by the number of genuine body parts you still possess. There's a deeper issue though, one related to the notion that comedy is a young person's game. Decrepitude acts against spontaneity and surprise, two of the comedian's greatest weapons. In a live show, we expect those things, but if Cleese's statement is anything to go by, there won't be much of either on offer. There's mileage in their geriatric status- references to Tweeting and twerking have been promised- but there's also a strong chance that fans, expecting the Python they remember, will instead be treated to a bunch of shuffling geriatrics struggling to remember their lines. Which could be hilarious in itself, but hardly for the right reasons.