Why does python hang in virtualenv?

Question

I'm using a virtualenv from within a Cygwin terminal on a Windows machine. When I haven't activated the virtualenv, I can run $ python to start up a python shell fine. I can also run scripts via $ python my_script.py fine within the virtualenv, but as soon as I try to start up a python shell in the virtual environment directly, it hangs indefinitely.

$ virtualenv --version
15.2.0

$ python --version
Python 2.7.13

$ which python
/usr/bin/python

(virtualenv) $ python --version
Python 2.7.9

(virtualenv) $ which python
/path/to/virtualenv/dir/Scripts/python

(virtualenv) $ python -v
# installing zipimport hook
import zipimport # builtin
# installed zipimport hook
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\site.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\site.py
import site # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\site.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\os.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\os.py
import os # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\os.pyc
import errno # builtin
import nt # builtin
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\ntpath.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\ntpath.py
import ntpath # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\ntpath.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\stat.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\stat.py
import stat # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\stat.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\genericpath.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\genericpath.py
import genericpath # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\genericpath.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\warnings.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\warnings.py
import warnings # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\warnings.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\linecache.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\linecache.py
import linecache # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\linecache.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\types.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\types.py
import types # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\types.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\UserDict.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\UserDict.py
import UserDict # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\UserDict.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_abcoll.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_abcoll.py
import _abcoll # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_abcoll.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\abc.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\abc.py
import abc # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\abc.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_weakrefset.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_weakrefset.py
import _weakrefset # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\_weakrefset.pyc
import _weakref # builtin
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\copy_reg.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\copy_reg.py
import copy_reg # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\copy_reg.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\locale.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\locale.py
import locale # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\locale.pyc
import encodings # directory C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\__init__.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\__init__.py
import encodings # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\__init__.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\codecs.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\codecs.py
import codecs # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\codecs.pyc
import _codecs # builtin
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\aliases.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\aliases.py
import encodings.aliases # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\encodings\aliases.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\re.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\re.py
import re # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\re.pyc
# C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\sre_compile.pyc matches C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\sre_compile.py
import sre_compile # precompiled from C:\Users\WiegreS\test_project\test\lib\sre_compile.pyc
import _sre # builtin

This all looks normal to me. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Ok, I think I've found a workaround, based on a comment someone else posted and then deleted.

(virtualenv) $ python -m idlelib.idle

opens an IDLE shell, which serves my purpose.