Monty Python’s Flying Circus, John Cleese, Michael Palin and the need for a bit of laughter

I wrote this post back in 2008, amid the gloom of the banking crisis, when it felt as if a bit of light relief was needed. Have things improved since then? It's debateable. But the 6 remaining members of the Monty Python team have, in late 2013, announced they will be making a come back, and tickets for their scheduled show at the O2 Arena in London sold out in 43 seconds. The Pythons are back in the news, and oldies as they may be by now, the promise of their humour can still draw the crowds. Here's what I wrote in 2008, including a look at the charts of  John Cleese and Michael Palin.

Endless news reports about the credit crunch, failing banks, the global economy and now inflation send me hurrying urgently to find something to make me laugh. I found a page on the BBC website devoted to “What’s making you smile?” together with a jokes page. This one worked for me:

What do you call 12 investment bankers at the bottom of the ocean?

A good start.

And here's another one I've had by email:

What's the difference between a banker and a pigeon?

A pigeon can make a deposit on a Ferrari.

What’s making you laugh, smile, feel a bit better in the face of the current gloom? With Uranus opposite Saturn moving ever closer to exactitude on 4th November, perhaps we need to step away for a while from the heaviness of the Saturnian gloom and look for something to jolt us out of our stasis. We could simply look for some good news, but that’s not always easy to find. You’ll find it here at Positive News, which always provides a refreshing alternative view.

For this post I’ve opted to go back a few decades to Monty Python’s Flying Circus, the outrageously anarchic, satirical and often slapstick TV programme first broadcast by the BBC on 5.10.1969. I’ve set the chart for noon in the event of no actual time of “birth” and in London, from where it would have been transmitted.

What can we see in this chart?

• it’s very red/green in the aspects colour ratio - 4 red: 4 green: 6 blue - lots of reactive responses and plenty of ideas flowing

• there’s a Small Talent Triangle and a not-quite-complete Trapeze aspect pattern (for more on aspect patterns see Aspect Pattern Astrology and Aspect Patterns in Colour in Books tabs at top of page). These patterns indicate creativity and ideas, reflecting the motivation of the high ratio of green aspects

• the stellium of four planets in Libra and one in Virgo has an anarchic/transformative quality with Uranus (the anarchic humour) and Pluto (the cutting edge freshness and change of approach using intellectual and visual humour). In this stellium we also find OTT Jupiter conjunct the Sun and Mercury sits at the apex of the Small Talent triangle as the witty agent of delivery and communication.

I’m including the charts of two of the creators of Monty Python - John Cleese and Michael Palin - partly because they were my favourite “Pythons”, partly because they both went on to develop their careers in film and travel (Palin) and film, TV series and organisational training (Cleese), and partly because they both took part in the memorable “Dead Parrot” sketch . But more of that later.

John Cleese was born on 27.10.1939 at 03.15 in Weston-super-Mare. The aspect structure in his chart covers a large area, indicative of him being able to move into many areas of life. The image reminds me of his appearance in an episode of Monty Python where he worked for the Ministry of Silly Walks. He was seen on his way to work walking in an alarmingly eccentric way, and at the time this spawned a fair amount of imitation from uninhibited members of the public, usually when they’d had just enough drink to loosen their inhibitions.

The chart shaping/motivation is a mixture of fixity and flexibility, suggesting that Cleese best operates creatively within a defined framework. His character Basil Fawlty (who he created) in the brilliant TV series “Fawlty Towers” has something of this about him. Fawlty is mad, eccentric and unbearable, but only when his carefully constructed environment is upset by the unexpected. Cleese has a colour ratio of 5 red: 5 green: 4 blue; the excess red/green drive and motivation echoes that of the Python chart shown above. Outrageous, anarchic and creative Uranus sits on the Balance Point in the 9th house. It’s the highest planet in the chart, so is prominent, and on the Balance Point it gives the ability to work effectively and efficiently. This can be seen in Cleese’s script writing for both Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, along with his acting/performance.

Michael Palin was born on 5.5.1943 at 11.45 in Sheffield. His chart is very different in appearance, with a large, open area on the “You”/DC side and most planets on the more private AC side. Palin might feel vulnerable to the potentially invasive influences of others, preferring his own space, with the aspect structure clinging to the “I”/AC side of his chart. His chart has a restless flexibility to it; he won’t need structure in the same way that Cleese might, and his extensive travelogues for TV give a flavour of how he is able to adapt to new experiences. His colour ratio/motivation of 2 red: 2 green: 6 blue veers strongly to being laid back and relaxed. This comes across in his travel programmes; he seems a real “Mr. Nice” who you’d quite happily invite into your own home.


















As in Cleese’s and the Python chart, Palin’s Uranus is also prominent. Tightly conjunct Mercury, it’s in the stress area before the 11th house cusp, so has its sights set on 11th rather than 10th house matters. This means ideas, people of like mind and shared ideals will be of greater interest. With Python humour having a strong intellectual, satirical and anarchic streak, the 11th house focus for Uranus/Mercury in Palin’s chart not only fits, it pulls in his intercepted Moon. It offers the Moon - our sense of self through feelings, the inner child - a doorway into the world where some of these drives can be expressed, possibly in an outrageous and innovative way.

Cleese and Palin performed he Dead Parrot sketch together in a Monty Python episode. Here’s an extract, just to give you a taster and to take your attention off Saturn for a moment and give you the opportunity to enjoy something more Uranian. The scene is a pet shop. The characters are the customer, Mr. Praline, played by Cleese, and the shop owner played by Palin:

Mr. Praline: I wish to complain about this parrot, what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.
Owner : Oh yes, the, ah, the Norwegian Blue... What's, ah... W-what's wrong with it?
Mr. Praline : I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. It's dead, that's what's wrong with it.
Owner : No, no, 'e's ah... he's resting.
Mr. Praline : Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.
Owner : No no, h-he's not dead, he's, he's restin'!
Mr. Praline : Restin'?
Owner : Y-yeah, restin.' Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, isn't it, eh? Beautiful plumage!
Mr. Praline : The plumage don't enter into it. It's stone dead!
Owner : Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!
Mr. Praline : All right then, if he's resting, I'll wake him up! (shouting at the cage).'Ello, Polly! Mister Polly Parrot! I've got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you wake up, Mr. Polly Parrot...(owner hits the cage)
Owner : There, he moved!
Mr. Praline : No, he didn't, that was you pushing the cage!

You can see the whole sketch by clicking here - enjoy!

The Saturn-Uranus opposition and the global economic crisis

On New Year’s Eve 2007 I posted a few thoughts about the possible forthcoming planetary influences in 2008, and said:

Capricorn has a strong line-up of planets, and Pluto enters this Sign at the end of January, slips back out into Sagittarius in mid-June, but returns at the end of November. Pluto in Capricorn may well bring about transformational changes in structures and forms, organisations and “earthy” practical matters. It may also herald changes in the way personal and global responsibilities are handled. I’m all for that, especially where financial systems and environmental issues are concerned. Saturn, currently in Virgo and set to stay in this Sign throughout 2008 will support, aid and abet by consolidating and making manifest responsible attention to detail and highlighting where duty and true service lies. Oh for a turn around from the “me first and s*d you” attitudes that are seen in many walks of life, towards a more caring and helpful world.

It’s now 1st October, and we are in the throes of global panic and crisis in the financial world. The air is thick with chickens coming come to roost after years of distasteful, disgraceful and inappropriate greed by the so-called Fat Cats. They have run out of their nine lives as far as many ordinary and justifiably angry people are concerned, and as news bulletins offer increasingly depressing news about an impending global depression, attention is focussed on tightening belts and making savings.

Saturn, master player in the qualities of restraint, restriction and taking responsibility is in Virgo. Opposite is Uranus in Pisces. The two planets reach exact opposition on 4th November - the day of the American Presidential election. Many other astrological bloggers are writing about this interesting coincidence. One astrologer I know has pointed out that Saturn/Uranus is symbolic of Republican stasis and the Obama-driven message of change.

In more general terms, Saturn in Virgo will not stand for any messing about. Things have to be done thoroughly and properly, with due care and attention to detail, making sure processes are pip-squeak clean. Nothing will be allowed to be swept away out of sight under the carpet because the carpets will all be taken up and the floor scrubbed clean. Watch out, you Fat Cats. Saturn in Virgo will focus attention on making savings, being more aware of the needs of others and taking greater responsibility, not just for ourselves but of others as well. As someone said to me today “We’ll all have to help each other”.

You can see my video about Saturn on my Astrochat channel on You Tube.

Uranus is surprisingly similar to Saturn in principle. Whereas Saturn seeks to keep things static and maintain the status quo, resisting change because security has been achieved, Uranus also seeks security. But it does so by bringing change, by tearing up the old and often outworn blueprints and drawing on creative, innovative new approaches which will provide security and stability at a different level and of a different kind to the outworn Saturnian version.

In general terms again, Uranus in Pisces suggests a whole lot of turbulence. Forget smooth, calm waters because these watery Piscean oceans are going to get decidedly choppy. If it comes to sinking or swimming, some new and innovative ideas are going to be needed to build the life rafts that will work, because the old kind are not going to work any more. Changes of thinking, of attitude and approach are needed, not a desperate clinging to the known, tried and tested.

I’m reminded of the famous Chinese saying “Crisis is danger and opportunity”. Saturn in Virgo will have an eye out for danger and how best to ride out the situation, leaving Uranus to the task of implementing new opportunities for regaining stability and security. Come the end of November, Pluto will be in Capricorn so don’t expect an easy ride here. Change is the name of the game.

A Virgo Line-up

It’s the Virgo month, so here’s a line-up of well-known Sun Virgos, past and present. Of course, it’s more than likely to be a neat, orderly line-up - they are Virgos after all! But just how “Virgo” are they? I thought it would be interesting to keep things simple and just look at

• How many planets they actually have in Virgo in addition to the Sun, and

• What the colour balance of red: green: blue aspects is in each chart, as this can give insights into the inner and often unconscious motivation of the individual.

I could find the time of birth of some of these Virgos but not all of them. As I wasn’t sure of the accuracy of the times I found (they weren’t rated/verified in any way) I decided to level the playing field and set up all the charts for noon. This puts those Virgo Suns right at the top of the chart. The orientation of the aspect structure is going to be inaccurate in most cases, but the balance of the aspect colours is more than likely to be correct.

Bearing in mind that the “ideal” balance and ratio of red: green: blue is 4 red: 2 green: 6 blue, and that red = action and doing, green = awareness and sensitivity and blue = stability and maintaining the status quo, here goes! You can read about colour balance and motivation in more depth and detail in my books Aspect Patterns in Colour and The Cosmic Egg Timer - see Books tabs at top of page.

Greta Garbo: Swedish film star, born 18.9.1905, Stockholm. Sun and Mercury in Virgo. 6 red: 2 green: 7 blue aspects. An excess of red “doing” energy there, perhaps offset by the 7 blue aspects, but maybe not much! Image:Terra Museum of American Art, Chicago

Jeremy Irons: British actor, born 19.9. 1948, Cowes, Isle of Wight. Sun and Saturn in Virgo. 5 red: 2 green: 6 blue aspects. Another actor with an excess of red “doing” energy. Virgos work hard at getting things right, perfect and just so! Image: movie.moldova.org














Sophia Loren: Italian film star, born 20.9 1934, Rome. Sun and Venus conjunct Neptune in Virgo. Venus/Neptune seems apt for a steamy, sexy film star! 4 red: 5 green: 5 blue aspects. An excess of green here means she could be very sensitive and touchy as well as changeable, perhaps having people in her surroundings trying to second guess her next move. Image: www.fest21.com















Twiggy: British supermodel, born 19.9.1949. Sun and Saturn in Virgo. 4 red: 1 green: 5 blue aspects. An excess of red, with a slight lack of green. Twiggy, iconic face of the Swinging Sixties, is still working as a model 40 years on. Image: www.dailymail.co.uk














Lauren Bacall: American film star, born 16.9.1924. Sun and Mercury in Virgo. 6 red: 4 green: 3 blue. A lot of red/green compared with her lack of blue aspects, so maybe touchy, driven, and finding it harder to rest and just “be”. Image: navcity.files.wordpress.com














Peter Sellers: British comedy actor and film star, born 8.9.1925, Southsea. Sun conjunct Mars in Virgo - how’s that for a hard-working perfectionist? 4 red: 3 green: 6 blue aspects. Sellers is perhaps best known for his role as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau in the “Pink Panther” films. A slight excess of green suggests heightened awareness and sensitivity. Image: blogs.sfweekly.com













Maurice Chevalier: French singer and entertainer, born 12.9.1888, Paris. Sun in Virgo. 3 red: 0 green: 5 blue aspects. Lacking in green he may have veered between the two opposite poles of “doing” and “being”, with little awareness that he was actually doing this. Image: www.musiqueenligne.com

Amy Winehouse

The first time I saw Amy Winehouse perform on TV, several years ago when she was up-and-coming, I thought she had a whole lot of talent. Much water has passed under the bridge since then, and Amy’s profile has been raised and her lifestyle analysed by that section of the media who feed on the cult of personality.

This is the Virgo month and Winehouse is a Sun Virgo. She was born on 14.9.1983 in Enfield. No birth time is available, so her chart is set for noon, and using the Huber Method of astrological psychology we can still find out quite a lot about her inner motivation and what is likely to make her “tick” without having her birth time.

Her chart has a strongly Fixed shaping, being dominated by a large quadrilateral figure - the Animated Figure - meaning she will be motivated towards security and stability and to preserving and maintaining a structured existence. She needs to feel safe and secure in her life and almost certainly to feel secure about herself. However there is one blue but restless linear aspect between Moon/Neptune and Pluto, and her Jupiter/Uranus conjunction is unaspected. I’ve not studied Winehouse’s life or biography in any depth, but I have seen various media reports on her lifestyle, and it is to this linear and tangential aspect and to the unaspected Jupiter/Uranus that I would look for her more wayward, unpredictable and rebellious behaviour, were I to be working on her chart with her.

Her balance of aspect colours, which reflect the amount of energy available, is 3 red: 1 green: 3 blue. Winehouse lacks in green aspects, which give awareness, sensitivity and the ability to bring some kind of balance between the activity of doing which is the realm of the red aspects and their energy, and the ability to relax, rest, indulge and enjoy, which is what the energy of the blue aspects can confer. It could be useful for her to be more aware of how she’s using the red/blue energy she has available. There’s likely to be a high output of activity through her Sun/Mercury conjunction, and this being in Virgo could suggest she’s something of a perfectionist, being her own worst enemy if she doesn’t come up to her own high expectations of herself as a performer.

The Animated Figure is described by the Hubers in Aspect Pattern Astrology and by me in Aspect Patterns in Colour. The Hubers say of this pattern that it requires “...imagination, patience and a lot of hard work”. They also note that “...a person with this figure can rapidly switch from approval to disapproval”. This sounds a bit like some of the media reportage of Winehouse.

There are some interesting planetary conjunctions in the chart, relating to hot spots of potential in her psychological makeup. In addition to those already mentioned, Winehouse has a Pluto/Saturn conjunction (powerful physical appearance and/or presence - who could ignore that beehive hair and the 1960’s eye makeup?). The Moon/Neptune conjunction is perhaps currently being expressed on its lowest level of being drawn to escapism of all kinds, where feelings can be dulled and their intensity at least held at bay by drink or drugs. At their highest level, Moon and Neptune can be a source of compassionate love. The potential is there for her to develop these qualities. The conjunction of Venus/Mars in Leo speaks of being noticed, appreciated and applauded, something she will need like the air she breathes, and of being equally appealing as a performer to men and women alike. This conjunction also suggests the capacity to combine both male and female energies and without doubt Winehouse is a feisty woman.

Update and comment 25th July 2011: I feel sadness and shock to hear of Amy's passing. A talent is lost for the world, and a young life cut short. In the context of Age Progression and her psychological life phase, Amy was on the Low Point of the 5th house in her chart, a crisis point where the demands of the outside world would have been felt keenly along with professional pressures. In their book LifeClock the Hubers say of this period of life "..there is a real danger that the human being, in self-overestimation expects too much of himself, of the environment, and the future". May she now be at peace.

Suzanne Fischer, Soprano

I confess to having a personal interest in looking at Suzanne’s chart as she is the grand-daughter of my neighbours and I’ve seen how she’s been reaching for the stars over the past few years. Suzanne is a singer, and is developing a blossoming career in opera. In April 2015 she begins a season singing in the chorus with the Glyndebourne Festival Opera.

I first saw her perform in the local high school production of “Les Miserables” and even then was telling her I’d have to have her autograph before she got famous and had her name in lights! I now have the autograph, along with her birth data (7.5.1987. 05.15, London) and her permission to look at her chart.

Suzanne comes from a musical family. Her grandparents, my neighbours, are retired professional musicians. Her great-grandmother played the violin, both her parents are professional musicians and her uncle is a composer and recording artiste. Suzanne studied music in Edinburgh and won a scholarship to train for a year in Milan. She embedded herself in the Italian culture before starting her course there, attending language schools and living and working with an Italian family. Her dream to sing professionally began to be realised when she gave a concert in the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, several years ago, making a CD of the songs she performed. Click here to read more about Suzanne and catch up on her fast-developing career.

Now to her chart. The visual image I see is a juggler or tightrope walker - certainly a performer of some kind - and there is a sense of movement and of balance being maintained. Her chart shaping is a mixture of Dynamic/Mutable and Linear/Cardinal energy. This suggests her inner motivation is flexible, adaptable, restless, forward-looking and enthusiastic. She could be tireless when she gets her teeth into something, and with a colour ratio of 3 red: 2 green: 5 blue aspects, she will need to stay aware of not over-extending herself. She lacks slightly in red aspects, so she may not always achieve as much as she aims for all in one go. The knack may be to take things more steadily and aim for a consistent build up. In terms of voice training this would be important so she doesn’t get over stretched too soon.

The direction of the aspect structure is another mixture, this time of Vertical and Horizontal aspects. The Vertical aspects point towards the planets at the top of her chart - Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Neptune, as highest planet in the chart, can indicate high ideals, visionary aspirations, and could also refer to her “rising star” potential in the field of the arts. The Horizontal aspects pull in her Sun/Mercury in the 1st house and Pluto just before the DC. Don’t mess with this lady - she has a lot of powerful potential and she may well speak her mind and tell you what she thinks, pulling no punches! As Pluto is on the DC, others, when they meet her, may find she can come on strong and they will pick up that she’s not going to suffer fools gladly.

The aspect patterns in her chart are a Search figure and a Single Ambivalence figure. Both triangular patterns have as their outlet point the Venus/Jupiter conjunction in 12th, indicating that this area of her life, where she retreats to recharge her batteries or practise and perfect her art, is going to be very important. The Moon’s Node, as part of this conjunction, may make it easier for her to switch off and take time out for herself. She may have to balance out this tendency by being willing to be out there and “on call” for others; maybe this is something she could bear in mind when she starts performing.

At 21 her Age Point was in the 4th house of the chart, when she was psychologically moving away from the conditioning and expectations of her childhood and teenage years, and began forming her own rules for life. The Age Point at this time was in the Sign of Leo, often associated with artistic expression in the performing arts. Her Moon is also in Leo, a sure fire indicator in her chart that she will enjoy performing and being on stage. Leo can be larger than life, and it seems that Suzanne, en route to the bright lights, is on track here. But I don’t for one moment expect that this will be an easy journey as there is much hard work, discipline and dedication involved. Suzanne’s Taurean Sun will stand her in good stead here, and perhaps the added bonus is that Taurus is generally regarded to be the Sign of singers.

I have featured Suzanne's chart in my book Using Age Progression. This book is packed full of real life examples of Age Progression at work, and is available from the APA Book Shop, Amazon and other retailers.