description How Not to Be Seen Overview
'How Not to Be Seen' is a Monty Python sketch from Monty Python's Flying Circus, styled as a spoof instructional film. A narrator explains techniques for remaining hidden, then demonstrates by revealing and eliminating each concealed subject through gunfire or explosions. The premise is delivered in a dry, documentary-like tone that contrasts with its escalating violence. It is an often-cited example of the group's dark-comedy style.
insights Ranking position
How Not to Be Seen ranks #15 of 556 in the Sketch ranking, behind The Lumberjack Song, ahead of Lazy Sunday.
help How Not to Be Seen FAQ
What is the premise of Monty Python's 'How Not to Be Seen' sketch?
The sketch is presented as a spoof instructional film in which a narrator explains techniques for remaining hidden, then demonstrates by revealing and eliminating each concealed subject through gunfire or explosions. It escalates from shooting individuals to blowing up entire buildings, culminating in the destruction of a whole village.
Which Monty Python series did 'How Not to Be Seen' appear in?
The sketch appeared in Monty Python's Flying Circus, the troupe's landmark BBC comedy series that originally ran from 1969 to 1974. It is one of the most frequently referenced Monty Python sketches and exemplifies the group's absurdist approach to parodying British public information films.
Who provides the narration in 'How Not to Be Seen'?
The deadpan voiceover narration is performed in the style associated with John Cleese, who frequently played authoritative, formal narrator figures throughout Monty Python's Flying Circus. The tone parodies the serious, measured delivery of actual mid-20th-century government instructional films.
Where can I watch the 'How Not to Be Seen' sketch?
The sketch is available on Monty Python's Flying Circus DVD collections and on Netflix or other streaming platforms that have hosted the complete series. It is also widely circulated on video-sharing websites as one of Monty Python's most popular short sketches.
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