Pass the Butler

by Eric Idle

Genres: Humor, Plays

81 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Eric Idle is an English comedian, actor, author and composer of comedic songs. He wrote and performed as a member of the internationally renowned British comedy group Monty Python.

Reviews

[Jason Koivu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eric Idle of Monty Python fame wrote a play? Well fancy that!

Pass the Butler is a daffy drawing room comedy with a dash of mystery tossed in for good measure. Everyone's a bit of a loon or at least has the tiniest little screw loose. While reading some of these absurd lines delivered by upper class British nitwits, I imagined the characters looking something like this...



The lines come fast and sometimes the laughs are tucked in between those lines. However, the laughs are there and I found myself smiling more than once at Idle's sly wit. I was also shaking my head occasionally at some of the broader humor in the way you sneer at a pun which you secretly enjoyed.

Pass the Butler won't go down in legend as one of the great stage comedies, but it deserves more recognition than it's received. It's sad to think I found this gem relegated to a dusty bin at a used book store. But hey, what a find for me!

[David]

I enjoyed this much more on the second read. Not sure why. Perhaps just more used to bureaucracy meriting a good comic skewering. Lots of fun, anyway. Can never have too many gender-swapping almost dead Prime Ministers on life support in an age of rolling blackouts, unpaid bills, etc.

[John Hobson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Without a doubt the worst play I've ever seen on the West End when it was briefly presented. I think there were 9 in the audience, just sufficient to allow it to be performed. By chance a copy turned up in the charity bookshop and I gave it another go. It didn't improve with age.