Mother and Son

This is one of the classic comedy pieces by the legendary Nichols and May -- in fact, it may be the classic piece.  Not because it's the funniest, it isn't, but for what it is.  And how unique it is.

And what it is...is showing their work process, coming up with an idea and improvising and developing the idea.  And doing it so wonderfully and surprisingly that Mike Nichols can't keep from laughing so much that he's at times literally gasping for air.  

Happily, their work process included recording all their efforts, not just the finished, polished product.  So, back in the booth they put the tape in, and Nichols and May started off.  And tried a few directions until they got one they liked the most.

What’s so impressive about this is not how funny much of it is, and how great it is to hear Nichols laughing at what Elaine May comes up with, but that you can tell they’re absolutely making it up on the spot, trying it from several directions.  And not only that she is especially SO good.  But that she's this good, and eloquent -- not from a finely honed finished script, but just ad-libbing on the spot.

And it shows why they had such a great career -- together and separately -- and have the reputations they do.

The premise is clearly dated, but for the time, probably the very early '60s, it stood out far, as you can tell by the laughter, 

This is "Mother and Son."