Joseph Stalin had a big title, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and a big effect on the direction of Russian history during his reign from the mid twenties until his death in 1953 . He was also one of histories greatest mass murderers and when he died he left behind a power vacuum that many were eager to fill and more than willing to do anything to make it happen.

Chief among his potential successors were Georgy Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor) and Nikita Khrushchev (Steve Buscemi) but standing in their way was Lavrenti Beria (Simon Russell Beale). Beria was head of the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs, known as the NKVD. A bloody organisation that carried out Stalin’s dirty work. Via much Machiavellian activity by the above mentioned players Beria is framed and eventually executed.

In the film everyone is played as an entitled power mad fool and the laughs arrive with great frequency. Knowing the actual extent of the tragedy and loss of life that plagues Russian history should prevent you from laughing quite so much but it’s to the filmmaker’s credit that you only think about this after the great farce seen on screen has ended.

Rob Hudson
www.facebook.com/TheDeathOfStalin

In the past year Michael Palin has rediscovered the joys of live performance, finding himself relearning lines about dead parrots and Spanish Inquisitions that he’d written long ago for 10 Monty Python live shows at the 02 Arena in London in July.

Michael Palin – Live on Stage combines Michael Palin’s love for travel & comedy. A whistle-stop tour of the globe, reliving the highlights, the lowlights, the adventures and stuff-ups of his extraordinary life travelling the world to mark the publication of Michael’s 3rd volume of Diaries 1988-98 Travelling to Work and some of the amazing moments  of his comedy career as a member of Monty Python whose sketches The Argument Clinic, Dead Parrot, The Lumberjack Song and The Spanish Inquisition have taken on legendary status the world over.

Join Michael Palin and host Adam Spencer, live on stage, in Auckland, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in February/March 2015.

“I always wanted to be an explorer, but it seemed I was doomed to be nothing more than a very silly person.”

Michael Palin – Live on Stage
Auckland Tues 17 Feb 2015 ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre
Adelaide Thur 19 Feb 2015 Festival Theatre
Perth Sat 21 Feb 2015 Riverside Theatre, PCEC
Sydney Wed 25 Feb 2015 State Theatre
Sydney Thurs 26 Feb 2015 State Theatre
Brisbane Tues 3 Mar 2015 Concert Hall, QPAC
Melbourne Wed 4 Mar 2015 Plenary, MCEC
www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Palin-Live-on-Stage