Fry and Laurie Shakespear Master Class

1984. At Nether Wallop Fete. Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie give a master class in Shakespeare.

[@Lisallamaa]

"Before we strip you down and oil you ..." nobody laughed at that! It was hilarious!

[@Randomkloud]

***** he was speaking quite fast, i think ppl just missed it

[@Lisallamaa]

It is hard to catch all of Fry's hilarious quips in any show he does. I suppose we have the advantage of being able to replay the video :)

[@Randomkloud]

true, we live in different times.

[@Oll1000]

Randomkloud Yes, these days it wouldn't even be considered a joke, it would simply be part of the show.

[@catherinebutler4819]

+Sean Michel-White When you live in Nether Wallop you become inured to double entendre.

[@mercurion1000]

Having specialised in literature at university I can safely proclaim this is a very accurate representation of the “over-analysis” of every word of text that goes on every single day

[@bartholomewdan]

Is literature at any level not just over-analysis?

[@KiroOsexXIII]

@@bartholomewdan No. There's definitely appropriate levels of analysis too.

[@doublelightangel]

This is why even though I love books I never took English literature further than o level, because I love books, not dissecting them😊

[@boccs9925]

You know, I don't think Stephen has ever not looked fatherly and professorial. I mean this is thirty whole years ago and he still looks how he always has. It's like the man was born to be wise and witty from the very start.

[@georgeparkins777]

Well, there was the really early thing where he read a parody of Dracula. He was hilarious, but he looked like a baby. I mean he literally looks seventeen.

[@vermilliongecko]

Fry says that in school plays etc, he was always called upon to play older characters like fathers, professors etc, because of his height.

[@jamesberger6930]

George Parkins and what a hilarious parody too :')

[@trombonedrama]

George Parkins Thank you for mentioning this. I just watched it and it's fantastic!

[@vermilliongecko]

trombonedrama The Dracula parody is genius.

[@susanfehr4073]

Hugh Lauries' impression of a student in the headlamps of his tutors impossibly obvious questions is priceless. And Stephen Fry is, as ever, absolutely spot on. 'I think thats partly it, Hugh, but think' argh!

[@wotsitalabowt]

Seeing this famous comedy duo looking so youthful has had me wistfully reflecting on TIIIIIIMMME!!

[@Mojosbigstick]

He seems a promising young actor, this Laurie chap.

[@Emiliapocalypse]

Mojosbigstick indeed he’s got quite a career ahead of him

[@jessicawang6558]

Yeah for some reason he looks perfect for an asshole American...um...an asshole American doctor, perhaps?

[@amiqai]

He'd fit with Rowan Atkinson in a series perhaps, even have a show with Fry in the future. Quite a great lad.

[@392023001]

Apparently he and Emma thompson dated lol.

[@CalridRobnor123srs]

@@392023001 This guys going nowhere, probably end up doing panto in Bishops Waltham, and as for the other guy Stevie Fry or whatever he's called, probably wont get any further than a brief interlude as a bit part actor in Eastenders.

[@37Dionysos]

Fry is insufferably good at this!

[@charlesdavis7087]

I think he rather enjoys being "insufferable." He's so good at it.

[@tsaszymborska7389]

Indeed! My high school years come rushing back.

[@kindnessfirst9670]

What's he not good at?

[@SJKM]

Indeed. I think is pretty much what Viola Davis was talking about in terms of the white Eurocentric drama school experience. Nicely portayed.

[@alexwright8585]

This is eerily similar to my English Literature classes.

[@Jemini4228]

Particularly at GCSE....

[@ScoopMeisterGeneral]

@@Jemini4228 I hope your teachers weren't promising to strip you down and oil you in your GCSE classes...

[@Jemini4228]

Haha. No, just how painfully slow to get though the text it was at times. XD

[@ScoopMeisterGeneral]

@@Jemini4228 I know the feeling 😂

[@nicktaylor1902]

ScoopMeisterGeneral wait is that not what you need to do for extra marks

[@turkeygrump]

As someone who teaches Shakespeare...this is hilarious and I know the type.

[@FlorisGerber]

yeah, exactly. There is always one gal in the workshop who had this done to her, and who mostly thinks that it is correct, to boot.

[@Plethorality]

@@FlorisGerber I don't think we're ready for that, are we?

[@FlorisGerber]

@@Plethorality i am not sure what you mean. I did not mean to offend you, or anyone. It is just my experience that in any Workshop i give there is someone who was taught at some point with similar techniques. Usually a lady, probably since female attendance is much higher than male. ( in theatre, at least. In fencing it is more equal )

[@Plethorality]

@@FlorisGerber I was not offended. I was agreeing with you, and backing that up with a quote from the sketch. Thank you for your kind reply, though. Its nice to see some good manners on KZbin. : )

[@barryschwarz]

No, no no. This is not how you behave on you tube. There must be some invective and a generous dollop of supercilious posturing. Now both of you take it from the top and see if you can show us that.

[@sfex9]

Watching this right after watching Sir Ian McKellen teaching actors how to deliver the Time speech in Macbeth is PRICELESS. Thank you KZbin.

[@ExxylcrothEagle]

+sfex9 I just watched that an hours ago...I liked his insights but didn't tremendously love the performance at the end

[@shugaroony]

Just watching old RSC workshops and they used the same routine (in another recording) to show how not to do it!

[@TheSuperQuail]

Same here

[@weareallbornmad410]

Link please!!! I want to see that :D

[@inisus]

I did the same haha.

[@harpinpoem]

“What went wrong there?” “I think I got lost in the middle.” 😆❤️😆❤️💐💐

[@rockndudette]

every English and drama teacher ever

[@Vojife]

+rockndudette Exactly. I have a drama teacher exactly like this. And I seem to be the only one in the class who gets confused by it. O_o

[@ikbalpinjari8647]

yess

[@elias_xp95]

Oh tell me about it. When the teacher gets you to dance around the room like weird contortionists yelling like wild animals to convey what is meant by the word TIAAEEMEEE

[@penguin40404]

I think It's problem of most literature teachers around many countries. I am from Russia and our Russian literature teacher always told us something like "Read between the lines and try to find out what the author wanted to tell us".

[@RagingGoblin]

@@penguin40404 Literature is difficult. It doesn't help that, most commonly, those teaching children at school are hardly the best and brightest their profession has to offer. In reality, though, I doubt you could explain the concepts of real analysis and the different schools of thought and epistemology (in their historical context) to someone in class at school. You need some grounding in philosophical analysis, philosophy of science, AND the history of philosophy and literature to really begin to understand. Which is why it always boils down to the worst tools literature has ever had to employ: 'Remember Kafka's childhood, children. Do you think you can spot something of that in the text?' You can -- and should -- obviously read the classics at any level of education, and -- really -- I have only disdain for those who try to make it seem like only they understand what the author meant (which, in itself, is already a thesis that fills libraries of theoretical discussions), but the truth of the matter is that literature is hard. It comes down to trying to unwind a human mind. Muddled by words. From another time. Muddled by your own subjective understanding. Literature is, basically, intentionally failed discourse. It is meant to be hard.

[@sunekoo]

Anyone who’s worked at any level of theatre has met a director like this

[@smaakjeks]

I know it's a sketch, but I've always hated this form of teaching. The lecturer holding the students hostage to their obtuse questions, framed within a paradigm only they know, and outside of which answers will not be accepted.

[@gedzy]

paradigm - look at you fancy pants ;-)

[@Liusila]

There must be a term or phrase for that exact type of buttheadery. I always disliked teachers who did this, and it made them look so petty and self-involved.

[@hrushikeshj8810]

This is so true. I have faced this during interviews as well :)

[@smaakjeks]

@@hrushikeshj8810 My driving instructor did it to me. -"What's the most important thing to remember when you first get into your car?" -"Uh. Keys? Seatbelt! Check the breaks, and lights? Oh, uhm, make sure the area around the car is fr--" -"To keep your wits about you!" -"Fer the love o'Pete..."

[@hrushikeshj8810]

@@smaakjeks that's really too much haha!!!

[@viggosimonsen]

Not only hilarious - this is a spot on parody of a master class

[@davetubervid]

Genius comedy. The timing, the expressions on their faces, the language (who else could make the mannerisms of Oxbridge dons so hilarious or the satire of a university Shakespeare tutorial so funny)

[@valentinefrey5164]

Mannerisms that have unfortunately been carefully studied by anyone who charges money to teach Shakespearean acting.

[@stanmonzon5788]

“What went wrong there, Hugh?” I love them.

[@jammygitz]

This is so Blackadder the Third "Look, If I stand any more heroically than this I'm in serious danger if disappointing my future Queen"

[@amuline13]

Hahahahahaha!!! Yesss!!!

[@ZarkowsWorld]

*of

[@12Trappor]

I have always assumed that the actors scene in Blackadder the Third is directly inspired by this sketch.

[@Rsharlan3]

@@12Trappor The last line took away all doubt for me.

[@seraphinaaizen6278]

I find it kinda funny they tittered at: "The great actor, Hugh Laurie" because they saw him as a comedian rather than an actor, even though every single sketch these two did underpins just how good BOTH of them are as actors as well as comedians.

[@invertedgames7993]

They invented the overanalyzing English teacher meme 30 years before the internet did

[@tharealmikezee3165]

dude. they didn't just make it up. Even before television there were overanalyzing English teachers

[@lizardas]

@@tharealmikezee3165 Did you fail to notice the words "meme" and "internet"?

[@Loammello2]

@@tharealmikezee3165 the sound of the joke going over your head was so loud it made me deaf

[@Eli_Stevenson]

Well Stephen could have been an a English teacher he studied English literature at uni so very accurately portrayal of what may have become Stephen

[@ToniGlick]

Those profs made me absolutely crazy in university.

[@TroupeGoal]

It’s Laurie’s straight faced answer to the obvious questions that made me laugh most.

[@mckavitt13]

The same for me. As if straight from Black Adder!! 🤣😂🤣

[@grahamlive]

Hugh used this as Prince George in Blackadder the Third. ... ROOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRR!!!!!!! Unaccustomed as I am .. etc. :)

[@amuline13]

Hahahahahaha!!! Yesss! Exactly!!!

[@SimderZ]

I fear you mew it like a frightened tree

[@copycat21c]

Yep. I spotted that too. Priceless.

[@mizofan]

just what i was thinking- that was a briliant series, and maybe the best episode

[@weckar]

Having spent a year in drama school, I can so relate to this experience.

[@u.v.s.5583]

Whoa, have you forgotten everything? What is the fourth word in your sentence? Year. Which is a measuring unit of what? You should write Having spent a *YEAR* in drama school....

[@weckar]

@@u.v.s.5583 Wtf are you talking about?

[@CrookedNose2131]

Whoosh

[@ProjectFlashlight612]

Beautiful satire on how complete and utter bollocks is read into Shakespeare by those teaching his plays, none of which said bollocks was ever meant to be interpreted out of it by Bill himself. TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!" hahahahahaha

[@Sabrowsky]

holy shit they were young once.

[@u.v.s.5583]

TIME!

[@demon13doc]

@@u.v.s.5583 but why did you choose to spell TIME, in this particular way? No one can comment for another 2 years.

[@laurawillits176]

Many of us were. You win the genetic and luck longevity lottery, and what do you get as a prize? You get fricken OLD, is what. (Not that it's bad, and i hope we all get older still.)

[@zdwlees]

How about 3?

[@normadeperetti5605]

God, this is brilliant on so many levels ! It's even more hilarious to see that this is exactly how we analyze texts, how we study literature... It can be so far fetched sometimes ahah. I'm French so, yeah, I think a lot of people from different countries can relate to this sketch. That's how good they are (ohh british humour...)

[@lakrids-pibe]

Ah! The glorious sweaters of the 1980s....

[@SAnderson54]

This is exactly how performing Shakespeare in acting class with teachers feels like sometimes!! lmbo!!

[@Jemini4228]

Aww, they look so young! Strange to say as they were probably my age in this but for some reason I find it adorable!

[@leishayoung4124]

"Ambition?" "No, leave ambition out of it" Oh! I lost it! It's just brilliant. 🤣🤣

[@jtjdrums]

A Level English in a nutshell. Every single sentence taking half the lesson to analyse. 🙂

[@Repented008]

Yes, because language is art.

[@GravityBoy72]

@@Repented008 art is bollix language is art or as me father in law used so say just get on w' it

[@lizziebkennedy7505]

Thanks Prof Leavis.

[@NibberKSmooth]

@@Repented008 And time must be respected; stop taking SO long analysing something, be more concise and get on with your life!!

[@melaniesmith1313]

They are SO YOUNG! I feel so old.....

[@studiosatire]

Early on it was crystal clear that these two made comedy in the top league.

[@Noah-wx7fm]

"Before I strip you down and oil you..."

[@cynthiaschultheis1660]

Stephen and Hugh are National Treasures😉

[@JaneAustenAteMyCat]

I love Hugh Laurie’s guilelessness. Perfect match for Stephen Fry’s obsequious-meets-obnoxious-for-a-tea-party 🤣

[@captpicard6894]

Just brilliantly written and acted out. A total piss take of all those ludicrously pretentious Shakespeare Masterclasses seen on TV in the past, just absolutely brilliant😁😁😁😁

[@wademorgan8464]

“What went wrong there Hugh??” I lose it every time!!!🤣🤣🤣

[@Peacefrogg]

Teachers all over the world are working really hard to take all the fun out of reading and literature. So in the future the horrific phenomenon of taking pleasure out of art will be eradicated. Keep up the good work! We’re getting there.

[@alittlepieceofearth]

This is so beautiful. It brings me joy.

[@anubratabhattacharya5367]

This video took me right to the literature classes in my school days!

[@noeliaalberti7]

Stephen Fry is such a cutiepie :3

[@laurawillits176]

Still is.

[@americancitizen748]

The works of Shakespeare were enjoyable -- until someone decided that they needed to be analyzed.

[@mosaics2024]

Reminds me of the bit in Black Adder where the Prince Regent is being coached by the actors in how to deliver a speech. Hugh has always been great at physical comedy.

[@Paldasan]

For the Scottish play?

[@mosaics2024]

@@Paldasan Well, Edmund is tormenting them by saying Macbeth at every opportunity, but the prince has to deliver a speech. And there is nothing more annoying than people saying the Scottish play instead of Macbeth. It is a very silly thing that only non-theatre people do. At least in my experience, which includes doing a pretty big fundraising run of Macbeth. Not a single person involved in the production said the Scottish play even one time.

[@roel.vinckens]

A rough diamond embedded in pure gold. I do hope they'll get together again. We need their chemistry.

[@kimberlyloranger8321]

While Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie are both great at what they do, I always liked Hugh Laurie a bit more for being comfortable acting in the sillier/less authoritative roles, be they in the "Bit of Fry and Laurie" series or in the Blackadder series. It was always fun to watch him play those kinds of characters.

[@lonewolfvule4682]

This reminds me of our teacher asking us (while dissecting a novel) ''what was the sky like when she died?'' I said...blue!! She used a blue pen to give me an F. But, I was actually right. It was a bright sunny day.

[@wertherquartett]

This is brilliant and hilarious. I had a teacher like that once who couldn’t see the novel for the words. A shame about the screwed-up aspect ratio though. 😡

[@roselenalaferte1036]

I love these men! A hilariously comedic duo!

[@Captain.Crispy]

I was in the audience when this was recorded for a show called Weekend in Wallop.

[@firstnamelastname9631]

Amazes me the way Fry has kept that condescending swagger throughout his career.

[@WyreForestBiker]

The sheer talent of these two is extraordinary.

[@jonathanlee6660]

When he asked hugh how time was spelled, he messed up his line by saying how does hugh decide to spell it, but quickly improvised over it. Very professional

[@dyenahh]

Always gather from the buttocks.”...words to live by.

[@rondon9897]

absolutely love stephen's "hi!"

[@LJW55]

How brilliant is this... British humour at it's absolute best...

[@itsjudystube]

Every Masterclass ever.

[@gradualdecay]

that patronising way fry would always try to put his words into Laurie's mouth by saying 'isn't it, Hugh?' is SO accurate

[@neuvocastezero1838]

"The serial killer is a professor. He cuts his victims into smaller and smaller pieces, until they die. You can call him 'The Deconstructionist'."

[@mamaeli8101]

So much appears to go over the audience. Meanwhile my daughter and I are in stitches frequently pausing due to our laughter.

[@EvelynTokamp]

Mama Eli, how good for you and your daughter! So clever and way above everyone else in the audience. Congratulations.

[@v.o.1458]

j'adore... à se tordre de rire, ainsi que toutes les vidéos associées à ce duo de choc !

[@nigelcarren]

" I don't think we are ready for that " was my favourite part. I assume he meant that level of drama\turning ones Jacobi up to 11. "Or it will be theatre, and nobody wants that" Stewart Lee Great upload thank you. Truly masters of their craft.

[@HighKingTurgon]

Haha his subtle Kenneth Branagh impression tho.

[@LuffyissHere]

i love how they make fun of people who analyse shakespeare

[@howler6490]

And here"s me thinking :wot a load of cra

[@hariseldon3786]

"Before I strip you down and oil you..." I'll just make sure that Facebook agrees with the joke...

[@PROfreelancers01]

Plus great play and acting by both....awesome they are as always 👌👌👌

[@jes3836]

Now I need to binge watch Jeeves and Wooster.

[@abooswalehmosafeer173]

Love it.I am learning from these extremely Gifted figures.

[@vihaze6725]

Every Shakespearean acting class ever.

[@FlorisGerber]

as someone who teaches shakespeare much closer to commedia dell'arte, let me say: Most shakespeare classes ever.

[@teacooper6485]

@@FlorisGerber woah id never thought about putting dell'arte and Shakespeare together thats cool as hell

[@FlorisGerber]

@@teacooper6485 it's really fun to both do and watch, too. Just have a look at how relentlessly funny most shakespeare plays are. Even MacBeth ( I can say the name, it had its go trying to kill me already :) ) has very funny scenes, always before the worst stuff happens.

[@teacooper6485]

@@FlorisGerber we've just stared to dig into dell'arte while looking at Accidental Death of an Anarchist, so honestly I'm just excited to apply it to other stuff, thank for the suggestion :)

[@RichardGMoss]

What do we learn from the misspelling of "Shakespeare"?

[@crowdinside1885]

The author wanted to highlight and make this title abstract, I guess

[@oscar_jacques]

The author wanted to bring us away from the ordinary, conventional sense of the word.

[@hippophile]

That was a popular spelling in the C18th. Arguably not misspelt, they are just being very old-fashioned...

[@ProjectFlashlight612]

Allegorical signpost to the huge casualties due to wound infection and cholera among British soldiers during the Crimean War?

[@dielaughing73]

Giving the name a fruity sense

[@Mr_Valentin.]

0:59 the crowd didn't noticed that joke lul

[@Spitalhatch]

Brilliant. Nice to see a brief glimpse of my Grandad's old boss, Billy Jepson Turner, right at the end.

[@ragdoll86]

I sometimes wish I wasn't as critical as I am when it comes to things like skits and acting in SNL and other comedy shows. And I just realized I'm only this way because I grew up watching skits and people like this. *Bar set too high.*

[@demon13doc]

SNL has become a Saturday night Klan meeting. The radical Left's dog and pony show.

[@MafuHardy]

@@demon13doc it hasn't really though, has it?

[@rpulley01]

@@demon13doc That's a really confusing comment. The Klan and the radical left are polar opposites. SNL team are in no way radical, although they are left of centre (maybe rightly so according to some). The Klan were engaged in criminal activity so had to wear disguises and advocated lynching black people and their supporters. SNL parody famous people and sometimes make social commentary for doing so. If you consider SNL to be radical, maybe it is your own viewpoint that is miles from the centre.

[@s3m4jno5w4d]

No, you are exactly right. This is the bar, accept no less

[@MBM1117727]

@@demon13doc You think the Klan is radical left? Lmao

[@Shindai]

He's got the stance down, but he's not doing the roar, is where he's going wrong!

[@t.chatary3458]

Wasn't he doing it from the buttocks?

[@mathugh11]

Oh my god when they bow at the end : so adorable!!

[@andrewball5111]

Great send up of Trevor Nunn and actors in the South Bank special on acting Shakespeare 😂. If you watch it though, it's actually pretty interesting.

[@SAWOK12]

At the Time of Shakespeare standardized spelling was a thing of the future. He even spelled (spelt?) his name in many ways. Is it no surprise then that his name (William Shakespeare) forms the anagram: "I am a weakish speller" ?

[@TranscendentLion]

I've heard that of the various spellings used, 'Shakespeare' was actually one of the least common.

[@ZarkowsWorld]

The name was signed by all his writers, hence the misspellings at times.

[@Zebradeen]

Brilliant!!

[@fwqkaw]

@@TranscendentLion Well I'm Spearshaker

[@tim40gabby25]

No, it is a surprise, to answer your question as it was put :)

[@janehollander1934]

Hugh, why are you squatting? I don't think we are ready for that yet? Are we?!🤣

[@eluna34]

I read about this in his memoir (frys) and couldent wait to look it up! worth it!

[@SockMonkey007]

2:08, Stephen calls Shakespeare 'Hugh'

[@gaahhhhnn1140]

That's the actor's name^^ Steven Fry and Hugh Laurie.

[@alexiswayward]

Yes but the script actually says “Shakespeare”. He messed up

[@freakazoid4691]

@@alexiswayward And then he says "Shakespeare" twice in the following sentence to bury the mistake. :)

[@deborahfishburn4875]

Well caught. "And how, I wonder, does Hugh decide to spell that word..."

[@michaelpurtell4741]

Thanks to ever who posted this

[@marinalynn1000]

They are adorable!!!!

[@DevilDogDen1775]

Brilliant... Totally Brilliant !!!

[@peskyfervid6515]

First saw Fry and Laurie in "Jeeves and Wooster". They are incredible!

[@Diax1324]

THTAIIIIIMMEEEEEEH my lord

[@catmomjewett]

Love these two. So great to see some early stuff.

[@ADEXL]

"Before I strip you down and oil you, Hugh..." Nobody laughed. Dumb crowd.

[@roguishpaladin]

Maybe they were looking forward to it.

[@theproducertm]

@@roguishpaladin To the joke or to the oiling?

[@crimsonmask3819]

More likely just desensitized to gay innuendo from these two.

[@lizziebkennedy7505]

Way too subtle for most.

[@lizziebkennedy7505]

@@crimsonmask3819 oh, sweets. Gay innuendo following you everywhere? Maybe it's you.

[@j.a.motteux2785]

No no no no this brings back too many memories of university

[@JemSquash94]

Fry is a national treasure and we should be protecting him at all cost

[@poorsonwelles]

ah, this is brilliant

[@martharichler6672]

'There's a lot of work to be done!' 😄 ... 'Think your voice is ready to convey that, Hugh?' It's so lovely and natural .... anybody who has ever worked tirelessly as a teacher (me!) will see themselves in this skit!

[@ShakespearewithSarah]

I feel like I’ve experienced both sides of this 🤣🤣🤣

[@sayno2lolzisback]

Holy shit young Hugh Laurie 🤩

[@joeyfitz9]

@1:01 I'm really surprised the line "Before I strip you down and oil you, Hugh" didn't get a laugh!

[@kindnessfirst9670]

Hugh Laurie looks even younger than the 24- 25 he was here.

[@HighKingTurgon]

Ah. Olivier never took a sweeter thrashing.

[@nickpolycandriotes1484]

Hugh looks find actor. I think he has future. Will see....

[@noradosmith]

""Because it's the first word in the sentence" lol

[@trishaferrand1395]

They are both such young and beautiful boys, but Laurie almost unrecognizable young.

[@norahj.9970]

TIIIME!