Review | John Cleese Live in Hong Kong shows moments of comic genius from the Monty Python star, but is ultimately underwhelming
- The stand-up comic showed he still had stage presence in his one-night-only Hong Kong gig, and while some jokes landed, the show lacked modern relevance overall
- Cleese relied too much on old jokes and even leaned on clips from decades-old shows, in a performance that ultimately felt tired and underwhelming
As an Asian woman in my 20s, I felt distinctly out of place as I stood in line for the one-night-only “John Cleese Live in Hong Kong” gig. I am not exaggerating when I say that Caucasians made up 90 per cent of the entire audience.
Which is not surprising. I am sure the audience at Hong Kong singer Hins Cheung’s concerts in London earlier this year would have been predominantly Chinese.
I wanted to see if his humour remained relevant and for him to wow me with the wit that has carried his career. I also hoped to see the notoriously “uncancellable” act go where other, less-hardened stand-ups fear to tread.
Best known for co-founding British comedy troupe Monty Python and for creating the sitcom Fawlty Towers, the British comedian has repeatedly made headlines in recent years for his brazen distaste for political correctness.