The Secret Policeman's Ball. The Complete Edition. Volume 1 (

THE SECRET POLICEMAN'S BALL

THE COMPLETE EDITION



A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF LIVE COMEDY AND MUSIC FOR AMNESTY INTERNATIONALIN THE BEGINNING



WHEN John Cleese offered to 'get a few friends together' to stage a comedy

benefit in aid of Amnesty International, the result was "A Poke in the Eye

(with a sharp stick)". His 'few friends' were the cream of the comedy world

including his fellow Monty Python stars Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Terry

Jones and Terry Gilliam, Beyond the Fringe members Peter Cook, Alan Bennett

and Jonathan Miller, Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke Taylor and Bill Oddie from The

Goodies, Dame Edna Everidge, John Fortune, Eleanor Bron, John Bird and

Jonathan Lynn. A comedy institution was born.

"The Mermaid Frolics" in 1977 saw music added to the mix and the shows

produced classic performances from artists including Sting, Pete Townshend,

Peter Gabriel, Duran Duran, David Gilmour, Daryl Hall, Tom Jones, John

Williams, Phil Collins, Dave Stewart, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Lou Reed,

Morrissey, Jools Holland and even Spinal Tap!

This special boxed set is a unique collection of classic live comedy and music

from seven Amnesty International shows spanning 25 years. Enjoy!VOLUME ONE

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* PLEASURE AT HER MAJESTY'S (1976)

* MERMAID FROLICS (1977)PLEASURE AT HER MAJESTY'S

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PLEASURE AT HER MAJESTY'S WAS THE FILM VERSION OF THE STAGE SHOW: "A POKE

IN THE EYE (WITH A SHARP STICK)"



Duration: 71 minutes

Location: Her Majesty's Theatre, Haymarket, London SW1

Dates: 1st, 2nd and 3rd April 1976

Three late night shows.



Credits:

Conceived by John Cleese and Peter Luff

Stage Show:

Directed by Jonathan Miller

Produced by Peter Luff and David Simpson for Amnesty International

Original designs by Terry Gilliam



Film:

Directed by Roger Graef Edited by Thomas Schwalm



Running Order:

1. John Cleese, Michael Palin - Pet Shop (aka The Parrot Sketch)

2. Alan Bennett - T E Lawrence

3. Barry Humphries as Dame Edna Everage - Spunk

4. John Fortune, Eleanor Bron - Happy Darling?

5. Peter Cook - Miner

6. Monty Python: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Carol Cleveland, Terry Gilliam,

Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Guest Appearance: Peter Cook - Court Room

Sketch

7. John Fortune, John Bird - You Say Potato

8. Neil Innes - Protest Song

9. John Cleese, Jonathan Lynn - The Last Supper

10. The Goodies (Tim Brooke Taylor, Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie) - Funky Gibbon

11. Alan Bennett - Telegram

12. Desmond Jones - Hamlet (Mime)

13. Peter Cook, John Fortune - Asp

14. Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Carol

Cleveland, Bill Oddie, John Cleese - The Japes Lecture

15. Eleanor Bron - Appeal

16. Beyond the Fringe: Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller, Guest

Appearance: Terry Jones - So That's the Way You Like It. (Shakespeare

Sketch)

17. Monty Python and the entire cast - Lumberjack Song



℗ & © Amnesty international UK Section Ltd 1976

www.joinamnestynow.comTHE MERMAID FROLICS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



THE MERMAID FROLICS IS THE FILM VERSION OF THE STAGE SHOW, "AN EVENING

WITHOUT SIR BERNARD MILES"



Duration: 52 minutes

Location The Mermaid Theatre, London.

Date: Sunday 8th May 1977.

One three hour show



Credits:

Stage Show:

Directed by Terry Jones

Produced for Amnesty International by Peter Luff and David Simpson



Film:

Produced and directed by Roger Graef

Original cover design: John Blackburn and partners



Running Order:

1. Julie Covington, Pete Atkin - Opening sequence: Rehearsal of

"Making love under the apple tree"

2. Sir Peter Ustinov - Queen Mary

3. Julie Covington, Pete Atkin, The Bowles Brothers - "The Original, Original

Honky-Tonk Night-Train"

4. John Cleese, Jonathan Miller - Words... and things.

5. Peter Cook - E.L. Wisty (from Beyond the Veil)

6. Sir Peter Ustinov - African Customs Post

7. Julie Covington, Pete Atkin, The Bowles Brothers - "After You've Gone"

8. Desmond Jones - Hamlet (mime)

9. Terry Jones - "Forgive Me"

10. Sir Peter Ustinov - John Geilgud interview and Pieter de Hoogh

11. John Williams - "Sevilla"

12. John Cleese, Connie Booth - Bookshop

13. Julie Covington, Pete Atkin, The Bowles Brothers - "At the Hop"

14. Curtain call



1977 ℗ and © Amnesty International UK Section Ltd

www.joinamnestynow.comA Word of Thanks

In 1976 Amnesty International staged the first show in its now famous Secret

Policeman's Ball series. At that time Amnesty International had 3000 members

in the UK and was struggling to raise funds for its campaigns. The shows had

a dramatic effect and Amnesty's UK membership rose by a staggering 700% in

three years. Amnesty International is now firmly established as the world's

largest international human rights organisation with a worldwide membership of

over 1 million people. We are still struggling to raise the necessary funds!

Since Amnesty International was founded, its members and supporters have

achieved much and helped to save many thousands of lives. The contribution to

human rights made by the performers and everyone involved in making these

shows has been huge and simply cannot be overstated.

Amnesty International would like to pay tribute and give very special thanks

to all the performers, producers, directors and the many hundreds of people

who gave their time, energy and remarkable performances to make these

ground-breaking shows possible. And for making them so good that they ore

still making us laugh and still raising funds to help save lives today.

We thank you all.