Arts News

John Cleese brings 'A Fish Called Wanda' to stage

Oct 19, 2009, 9:41 GMT

British actor John Cleese. John Cleese is turning \'A Fish Called Wanda\' into a musical.EPA/BJORN

John Cleese is turning 'A Fish Called Wanda' into a musical.

The 'Monty Python' comic has revealed his plans to turn the 1988 comedy movie about a jewel heist - which he wrote and starred in alongside Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline - into a stage production.

He said: "One thing I am doing which amuses me immensely is the musical version of 'A Fish Called Wanda'."

The 69-year-old star decided to turn his attention to the stage because he is bored of filming TV documentaries and sitcoms.

He is quoted as saying: "Unless you want to tie yourself up for five years, you basically can do interesting documentaries for which you don't get paid. And it doesn't make much sense doing comedy because once you've done 'Monty Python' and 'Fawlty Towers', almost anything you do people are always going to say, 'Well, it's alright but it's not as good as that.' "

Earlier this month, Cleese kicked off his own stage show tour 'A Ludicrous Evening with John Cleese... or How to Finance Your Divorce', to fund his split from his third wife Alyce Eichelberger.

John - who was ordered to pay £12.5 million in the divorce settlement - returned to the theatre for the first time in four years and admitted he was furious he had to do it.

He said: "I get angry that I have to pack my trunk, just to go away to make money. That I, at my age, would have to plan my life anew to pay her all the money she is to get for the next seven years - well, it irritates me. I'd rather have been drinking coffee, reading books and writing. I can't afford that now."