Chatterbox: Getting close and personal

We're in for a torrid time when British comedian John Cleese tests his new live show on New Zealand audiences.

But watch out in the front row because a clip around the ear from Cleese's character Basil Fawlty made Manuel the waiter cower like a whipped cur in Fawlty Towers.

Basil was a conniving and hilarious man but you had to feel a bit sorry for the downtrodden Manuel.

Cleese - a star in Monty Python productions - brings his solo tour here in a few months.

It's called John Cleese - His Life, Times and Current Medical Problems, which he describes as a "one-man show with several people in it, which pushes the envelope of acceptable behaviour in new and disgusting ways".

In 1998, Cleese won a British Academy Award for Best Actor in A Fish Called Wanda. He has also appeared in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, The Life of Brian and in Fierce Creatures, Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone and Shrek 2. He even appeared as Q in the James Bond film Everything or Nothing.

Cleese is busy developing his new show and will soon head to New York to work with top scriptwriter William Goldman, who will do the fine-tuning.

"My ever-wicked daughter Camilla is helping with the writing and my wonderful assistant Garry is coming up with many unwelcome ideas, as is my wife, Alyce Faye," Cleese says.

Dates and venues are yet to be confirmed, but the national tour will take in Auckland, Wellington, Napier, Palmerston North, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill in November and December. Tickets go on sale August 15.

Mixing it with the best of 'em

Tonight at the Studio on K Rd, check out some of the best and a few wannabe DJs and turntablists at the Auckland final of the 2005 NZ DMC World DJ Championships. It is the first regional final before heading to Wellington and Christchurch. The national final is on September 3, also at the Studio.

The winner will make like P Money and head to the World DMC Champs on September 23 and 24 in London. It's an event where P Money was third four years ago.

For something more chilled, Sola Rosa celebrates the release of his album Moves On (available August 8), with shows at the Leigh Sawmill on August 12. He also plays the Studio on August 27. If you want something more rockin', The D4's Out Of My Head Again Tour starts on August 11 at the Brewers Bar in Mt Maunganui. Other dates: August 12, Ward Lane, Hamilton; August 18, The Mill, New Plymouth; and August 20, Hot Lava, Ohakune.

For something even noisier, This Night Creeps play August 6, Harbour View Hotel, Raglan; August 19, Ambassador, Auckland; and August 20, Sohl Bar, Hamilton.

Wellington collective Fly My Pretties play three long-awaited gigs in Auckland on September 29, 30, and 31 at the Hopetoun Venue.

Starts and Enz

On the eve of the Finn Brothers' shows this week in Hamilton and Auckland there are rumours that Split Enz may reform. But, get this, the shows could be based around the group's first - some say best - album, Mental Notes, from 1975.

The rumours flew when the band were inducted into the Australian Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame two weeks ago and comments made in an Australian music magazine backed the gossip. But who knows? It's like Brian Wilson doing his Smile shows last year - and the fans raved about that.

The Finn Brothers play the Founders Theatre in Hamilton on Tuesday and the Civic in Auckland on Wednesday.

Moa on the hill

Anika Moa will launch her album Stolen Hill on Monday at the Orakei Marae on Bastion Point. The area, above Mission Bay, is of special importance to the album's title because Maori protesters occupied Bastion Point land in 1977.

Stolen Hill deals with Moa's Maori heritage and with Maori land grievances.

Unfortunately, the three-hour event, which starts at 4pm with a marae welcome, is by invite. But we think that a singsong, followed by tea and biscuits, is a cool alternative to the usual album launch hype.