A celebration of correspondence in performance
Falling down the Letters Live rabbit hole
I mentioned last week that Letters Live, which brought us Sir Ian McKellen reading a letter from Kurt Vonnegut, is a fantastic rabbit hole to fall down. I’ll admit it’s one of my favorite ways to waste a little time, and for good reason.
I don’t know who came up with the idea for Letters Live, but it’s brilliant. Take really great correspondence and pair it with an actor of equal caliber to give it a solid read in a public venue. The shows are very popular—the one in May in New York City is sold out (alas, I am not going)—and the performances get extra mileage on YouTube and social media.
I suppose part of the draw is that hardly anyone writes actual letters anymore, so you’re experiencing a lost art along with a bit of history, though quite a few of the letters are more contemporary.
At any rate, I thought I’d share some of my favorites with you. I hope you enjoy them.
The Funny
If you ever get a speeding ticket, you want this guy on your team.
Benedict Cumberbatch gives us a fantastic American accent and manages to keep a straight face as he reads this letter about a very unfortunate hotel incident:
Fair warning, this one is… painful. Especially if you’re a guy. But it’s also absolutely hilarious. Kudos to Alan Carr, because there’s no way I’d have been able to read it without falling apart.
In the spirit of fairness, this one will be a bit more painful for the ladies, but again… hilarious:
Just in case you thought history was devoid of humor, attitude, and quite a bit of language your mother probably wouldn’t approve of (seriously, if you have a hard time with that last bit, this one is NOT for you):
(For context, LL offers: In 1675, the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire instructed his army to attack a fortress belonging to the Zaporozhian Cossacks. They were quickly and heavily defeated. Rather than surrender, the Sultan then wrote to the Cossacks and demanded that they submit to him. This fiery exchange was the result.)
The Earnest
More “American” Benedict, with some fantastic creative advice from Sol LeWitt:
An astonishingly gutsy letter from a freedman that hits like an arrow slamming into a bullseye:
Someone may start chopping onions in your house for no apparent reason as you watch this one. Just so you know.
They may go buy more onions just in time for this letter. If you’re not familiar with Harnaam Kaur, there’s a nice profile of her here.
It’s not Christmas, but…
…it will be for the next 12 minutes, in the most unexpected way—and you may find yourself not breathing much in that time. This was my Letters Live gateway drug, and I’m sure you’ll have no trouble seeing why:
There’s plenty more to discover from there, should you want to. I hope at least one of these letters has added to your day, or will make your weekend more interesting.
Which was your favorite?
Thanks for sharing these, Nancy. I always enjoy dramatic reading---particularly when done well. Something about even the sharpest writing that just doesn't allow room for the proper pause, stop, and prolonged tones to come through. I suppose this is where the orator comes in. As I get older, I'm now a believer that the pair---speech and text---when possible, should always be conveyed as one. And one should always try to make both available to all. My memory goes back to the times my mother would read me books when I was younger, and I am immediately transported to the world that is funny, sad, stupid, and brilliant---all at the same time. Your writing is a great reminder of this.
Well that was a delight. Thank you for sharing! I'd listen to Taiki Waititi read an oven manual. He's the best.