Lately I’ve been amassing a collection of online videos that are guaranteed to make a bad day better. Here are a few for your viewing pleasure. Feel free to share your own favourites in the comments!
Benedick and Beatrice getting tricked in Much Ado About Nothing
This wondrous film was released in 1993. It’s the sunniest, liveliest, most gorgeous Shakespeare adaptation I’ve seen. Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh — who were married at the time — are the perfect Beatrice and Benedick, and this is the best scene in the movie. Even if you’re not into Shakespeare (Why? Why are you not into Shakespeare?!) you should watch this.
Lea Salonga auditioning for Miss Saigon
It’s 1989, and the producers of Les Miserables, best musical everrrr, are looking for an actress for their new musical, Miss Saigon. 17-year-old Lea Salonga walks into the room. They teach her the audition song. She opens her mouth and sings. Angel wings and unicorns and tiny delicate wisps of gold leaf flutter into the air and everyone dies from the beauty of it all. Or something very close to that, anyhow.
Conan O’Brien on Inside the Actor’s Studio
Poor Coco is having a rough time at the moment. His show is being taken away from him after only seven months, due to circumstances beyond his control. This interview with seasoned thesp interrogator James Lipton shows just how naturally funny he is. Sigh.
Between Two Ferns: Jon Hamm
Zach Galiafanakis. Whatta guy. His wilfully awkward web series, Between Two Ferns, is a brilliant antidote to the celebrity butt-kissing that goes on during your standard TV talk show. Zach is unimpressed by his guests’ accomplishments, occasionally antagonising them to the point of physical combat. This installment, featuring Jon “Don Draper and the guy Liz Lemon called a cartoon pilot” Hamm, is my favourite.
Josh Lawson on Thank God You’re Here
Thank God You’re Here is Australia’s contribution to the improv-on-TV landscape. People who appear on the show walk through a door into a particular situation — say, a picnic in the 1920s or a police raid — and have to convincingly bluff their way through the scene alongside professional improvisers. It’s consistently giggleworthy, and the shining star is Josh Lawson. Here he is making stuff up with admirable ease in a submarine scene.
That’s five, but as a sneaky plug I’m going to append the latest Elegant Guide, just because it was so fun to shoot, and the young actress whose mouth I taped shut with gaffa tape was such a trooper.
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Thanks for the smiles!
Thanks Ella, that brightened up my day a little bit! Lea’s audition was inspiring! And of course, the Elegant Guides are as always brilliant on so many levels haha!
I loved the Much Ado clip and the girl from Miss Saigon’s voice. I’m currently watching the rest of Conan’s ITAS. And the Elegant Guide was wonderful as always. I do have to say that it isn’t Gaff tape that you taped that girls mouth with. Gaff tape isn’t shiny, that was just black duct tape. Still funny though.
I came across THIS the other day. Flashy, tacky anthem singing never does much to encourage appreciation of my American citizenship. But this one is awesome.