Party Political Broadcast (Choerographed) is a sketch that appears in "A Book at Bedtime," the thirty-eighth episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus.
Synopsis[]
A party political broadcast for the Conservative and Unionist Party plays. The politician (John Cleese) begins to address the viewers, but stands up and starts to dance as he chants his policies. The choreographer (Eric Idle) stops him, correcting his dance moves. They dance it correctly together, and the choreographer leaves him to try it on his own. The politician completes the dance perfectly, and is joined by four other dancing ministers. The cast are dismissed, and the camera pans round to show the Labour Party practising pliés at the barre as they say their policies. An animation depicts Edward Heath dancing to 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy', observed by his teacher Harold Wilson. The Nude Organist plays his chords, followed by the BBC continuity announcer and the "It's" man.
Trivia[]
- This sketch originally opened this episode. However, during an unknown election year, the BBC cut the sketch. This was most likely as so to not alter public opinion while voting. As such, the sketch is cut from most current releases on home video and on the streaming service Netflix. However the sketch can be found here on YouTube. It was eventually restored on the Network release of Monty Python's Flying Circus on home video.
- This sketch, at first, didn't open the twelfth episode of Series 3 but ended the thirteenth, after the Dirty Vicar Sketch and the announcement about E. Henry Thripshaw t-shirts. The twelfth episode originally opened with a caption saying "TONIGHT WE START THE SHOW STRAIGHT AWAY WITH THE OPENING TITLES" and then another saying "NO YOU DIDN'T - YOU STARTED WITH THAT CAPTION" and another that says "AH YES".