home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
-
- THE FISH LICENCE
- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
- Transcribed from "The Complete Unexpurgated Scripts of the Original TV
- Series volume one" by Paz, February, 1996. (While listening to the
- brand new Sepultura CD - Heavy !)
-
- Note for pedants & purists.
- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
- This script for Monty Pythons' "Fish Licence Sketch" is as it
- originally appeared in the TV series episode twenty-three (series two,
- episode ten first transmitted 12-1-1970) and not as it has appeared
- in its various guises on numerous LPs, etc. since.
-
- Note for anyone who gives a damn.
- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
- This is my favourite Python sketch EVER.
- And mine - BUN
- ******
-
- ANIMATION: dancing teeth. Then animation of a letter being re-sealed
- and posted - all backwards - ending in a real Post Office.
- A Post Office worker removes the stamp from the letter and hands it
- to man.
-
- Post Office Worker: Five pence please.
-
- The man walks out backwards, passing Mr Praline as he enters. He looks
- at the man, puzzled, then goes up to the first of two grilles which has
- a sign saying 'stamps and licences'.
-
- Praline: Excuse me, I would like to buy a fish licence please.(The man
- behind the counter points to next grille; to camera) The mans
- sign must be wrong. I have in the past noticed a marked
- discrepancy between these Post Office signs and the activities
- carried on beneath. But soft, let us see how Dame Fortune
- smiles upon my next postal adventure ! (he goes to next grille)
- Hello, I would like to buy a fish licence please.
-
- Man: A What ?
-
- Praline: A licence for my pet fish, Eric.
-
- Man: How did you know my name was Eric ?
-
- Praline: No,no,no, my fishs' name is Eric. Eric the fish.
- 'E's an 'alibut.
-
- Man: A what ?
-
- Praline: He is an halibut.
-
- Man: You've got a pet halibut ?
-
- Praline: Yes, I chose him out of thousands. I didn't like the others.
- They were all too flat.
-
- Man: You're a loony.
-
- Praline: I am not a loony ! Why should I be tarred with the epithet
- 'loony' merely because I have a pet halibut ? I've heard tell
- that Sir Gerald Nabarro has a pet prawn called Simon, and you
- wouldn't call Sir Gerald a loony would you ? Furthermore, Dawn
- Palethorpe, the lady showjumper had a clam called Sir Stafford
- after the late Chancellor. Alan Bullock has two pikes, both
- called Norman, and the late, great Marcel Proust had an
- 'addock. If you're called the author of 'A La Recherche du
- Temps Perdu' a loony I shall have to ask you to step outside.
-
- Man: All right, all right, all right. You want a licence ?
-
- Praline: Yes.
-
- Man: For a fish ?
-
- Praline: Yes.
-
- Man: You ARE a loony.
-
- Praline: Look, it's a bleedin' pet, isn't it ? I've got a licence for
- my pet dog, Eric, and I've got a licence for my pet cat, Eric.
-
- Man: You don't need a licence for a cat.
-
- Praline: You bleeding well do and I've got one. Ho ho, you're not
- catching me out there.
-
- Man: There is no such thing as a bloody cat licence.
-
- Praline: Yes there is.
-
- Man: No there isn't.
-
- Praline: Is !
-
- Man: Isn't !
-
- Praline: Is.
-
- Man: Isn't.
-
- Praline: Is.
-
- Man: Isn't.
-
- Praline: Is.
-
- Man: Isn't.
-
- Praline: Is.
-
- Man: Isn't.
-
- Praline: Is.
-
- Man: Isn't.
-
- Praline: What's that then ?
-
- Man: That is a dog licence with the word 'dog' crossed out and the word
- 'cat' written in in crayon.
-
- Praline: The man didn't have the proper form.
-
- Man: What man ?
-
- Praline: The man from the cat detector van.
-
- Man : Loony detector van you mean.
-
- Praline: It's people like you what causes unrest.
-
- Man: All right, what cat detector van ?
-
- Praline: The cat detector van from the Ministry of Housinge.
-
- Man: Housinge ???
-
- Praline: Yes, it was spelt that way on the van. I'm very observant. I've
- never seen so any aerials in my life. The man told me their
- equipment could pin-point a purr at four hundred yards ... and
- Eric being such a happy cat was a piece of cake.
-
- Man: How much did this cost ?
-
- Praline: Sixty quid, and eight guineas for the fruit bat.
-
- Man: What fruit bat ?
-
- Praline: Eric the fruit bat.
-
- Man: Are all your pets called Eric ?
-
- Praline: There's nothing so odd about that. Kemal Ataturk had an entire
- menagerie, all called Abdul.
-
- Man: No he didn't.
-
- Praline (takes book from pocket): He did, he did, he did, he did and
- did. There you are. 'Kemal Ataturk, the Man' by E.W.Swanton
- with a foreword by Paul Anka, page 91, please.
-
- Man (referring to page 91): I owe you an apology, sir.
-
- Praline: Spoken like a gentleman. Now, are you going to give me this
- fish licence ?
-
- Man: I promise you there is no such thing. You don't need one.
-
- Praline: Then I would like a statement to that effect signed by the
- Lord Mayor.
-
- Fanfare of trumpets. Mayor gorgeously dressed with dignitaries enters
- flanked by trumpeteers.
-
- Man: You're in luck.
-
- In long shot now. The Mayor, who is nine foot high, and dignitaries
- approach a startled Praline.
-
- From here on, things start to get VERY silly indeed (in true Python
- style) and that is where I am going to leave it now. So if you want to
- hear more, easily the BEST and FUNNIEST version of this sketch is
- on 'The Monty Python Instant Record Collection' available from Virgin
- Records. I can highly recommend it.
-
- Bye now.
- Paz.
-