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''The Secret Policeman's Ball'' is the name informally used for the long-running series of benefit shows staged initially in England to raise funds for the human rights organisation Amnesty International. The shows started in 1976 featuring popular British comedians but later included leading musicians and actors. The ''Secret Policeman's Ball'' shows are credited by many prominent entertainers with having galvanised them to become involved with Amnesty and other social and political causes in succeeding years. There have been four distinct eras of the Amnesty benefit shows. The shows of the first era (1976–1981) yielded films, television specials, home-videos, and albums that have since been widely seen and heard internationally. The three subsequent eras (1987–1989, 1991–2001 and 2006 onwards) have primarily featured locally popular British performers – and spin-off products have been released mainly in the UK. In March 2012, ''The Secret Policeman's Ball'' took place in the United States for the first time. The one-night show at New York's Radio City Music Hall on 4 March was part of Amnesty's 50th anniversary commemorations.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=The Secret Policeman's Ball )〕 ==Overview== The series was created and developed by Monty Python member John Cleese, Peter Luff (Assistant Director Amnesty International 1974–1978) and entertainment industry executive Martin Lewis who subsequently worked with Peter Walker (Amnesty's Fund-Raising Officer from 1978). Cleese, Lewis and Luff worked together on the first two shows (1976 and 1977). After this, Cleese and Lewis worked on the next two shows (1979 and 1981) with Luff's replacement at Amnesty, Peter Walker - using the ''Secret Policeman's Ball'' title for the first time in 1979 and developing the series identity. Cleese credits Lewis with coining the ''Secret Policeman's Ball'' title. In an interview aired on BBC TV on 22 June 1979, Cleese told interviewer Michael Billington "It's Martin Lewis' title, I can pin that one on him. But I thought it was quite funny."'' Although the ''Secret Policeman's Ball'' title was not used until the third show in 1979, the two preceding shows in 1976 and 1977 were retrospectively treated as part of the ''Secret Policeman's'' canon. Cleese and Lewis subsequently worked individually on other Amnesty projects. Cleese made brief cameo appearances in the 1987 and 1989 shows and co-directed the latter. Lewis produced two American films drawn from the first four shows (released in the US in 1982 and 1983) and then helped expand the participation of rock musicians for Amnesty (that he first engendered in the 1979 and 1981 shows) with his contributions to the 1986 ''Conspiracy Of Hope'' US tour and the 1988 ''Human Rights Now!'' world tour. The first wave of shows took place approximately every other year, and three of the first four shows were filmed and released theatrically as movies with corresponding record albums. Because multi-artist benefit shows with contemporary performers were a new phenomenon in Britain in the mid-1970s and early 1980s, they were accorded considerable media coverage and public attention. After 1981, there was a six-year hiatus. When Amnesty International re-commenced staging benefit shows, it did so without the benefit of the Amnesty staff members and outside producers who had successfully guided the first wave of shows. The new team running Amnesty International re-commenced staging benefit shows in 1987, and the shows were on a noticeably smaller scale and consequently generated less media attention. The shows from 1987 onwards were videotaped to be shown as TV specials and/or released on home video in Britain rather than filmed as movies with prospects for international release. The sole exception to the smaller scale events was an ill-fated attempt in June 1988 to stage a weekend concert event titled "Amnesty International Festival Of Youth" at the 65,000 capacity Milton Keynes Bowl.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Channel 5 : Rocking The Racists )〕 The event was a massive failure and for the first time ever, one of Amnesty's fund-raising benefit events lost money.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=P.o.t.a.t.o Academy )〕 Only two more of Amnesty's benefit shows (in 1987 and 1989) carried a ''Secret Policeman's Ball''-related title. Between 1991 and 2001 Amnesty staged four more benefit events and though they were comedy shows in the same vein as their predecessors, none of them carried the ''Secret Policeman's Ball'' title. When Amnesty staged a 40th anniversary show in 2001 it was stated that the ''Secret Policeman's Ball'' title had run its course and would not be revived. However, in October 2006, following a 17-year gap, the name was revived, and also used for shows in October 2008 and March 2012. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Secret Policeman's Ball」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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