John Cleese of Monty Python is coming to SNF Nostos 2026 by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. And we’re not joking!

“It’s just a flesh wound!”
“A flesh wound? Your arm’s off!”
“No, it isn’t.”
“Well, what’s that then?”
“I’ve had worse.”

Whether you’re a devoted Monty Python fan or you still haven’t seen the iconic scene of the heroically optimistic Black Knight, we’ve got good news for you. SNF Nostos 2026 by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), which this year celebrates 30 years of philanthropic work, welcomes the one and only John Cleese – the soul of Monty Python and one of the most iconic actors and writers of British comedy – to leave his own unmistakable mark on the festival.

On Friday, June 26, at 20:30, John Cleese will headline the event Not Dead Yet! (pun very much intended) at the Stavros Niarchos Hall of the Greek National Opera at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. The evening will begin with a screening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, celebrating 50 years since the release of the legendary film, followed by a live conversation with John Cleese and audience Q&A. The comedian will generously share his humor, wisdom, and delightful behind-the-scenes stories – provided, of course, that he remembers any of them.

For fans of John Cleese and British humor alike, the actor, comedian, and writer will also participate earlier that same day in a discussion titled The Miracle of Life, Magic and Artificial Intelligence, exploring the question: What do life, magic, and artificial intelligence have in common, and why does this question matter so much in the age we live in?

The discussion will take place on Friday, June 26, at 11:10 p.m. at the Stavros Niarchos Hall. The conversation will be introduced by SNF President Andreas Dracopoulos and will feature acclaimed magician Mark Mitton, who also conceived the discussion, robotics and AI pioneer Rodney Brooks, chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov, and leading AI ethics expert Francesca Rossi.

John Cleese at SNF Nostos 2026 by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)
When: Friday, June 26, 2026
11:10 – Discussion: The Miracle of Life, Magic and Artificial Intelligence
20:30 – Not Dead Yet!

Where: Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, Stavros Niarchos Hall, Greek National Opera

Admission: Free entrance.
To attend the discussion, registration for SNF Nostos 2026 is required.
Online registration for Not Dead Yet! has been completed. Additional seats will be made available at the venue on a first-come, first-served basis.

Biography | John Cleese

John Cleese is best known as a member of Monty Python, creator of the television series Fawlty Towers, co-writer and star of Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Monty Python’s Life of Brian, as well as for his role in A Fish Called Wanda.

Beyond his career in comedy, he co-founded Video Arts together with Sir Antony Jay, producing educational management and sales training videos. Over the course of twenty years, Video Arts created more than 120 training films and became the largest company of its kind outside the United States.

Together with distinguished psychiatrist Dr. Robin Skynner, Cleese co-authored two bestselling books on relationships: Families and How to Survive Them and Life and How to Survive It, both exploring psychology, psychiatry, and their applications to everyday life.

His first autobiography, So, Anyway…, was published in 2014 and has sold more than 600,000 copies worldwide. In 2020, he published Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide.

In recent years, he has spent his time writing screenplays, delivering talks on entrepreneurship, organizing creativity seminars, teaching at Cornell University, and developing his own virtual reality platform at:

In 2024, he adapted Fawlty Towers for the West End stage and, in 2025, marking the 50th anniversary of the series’ original broadcast, wrote Fawlty Towers: Fawlts & All to share some of his favorite behind-the-scenes memories.