Track Listing

1. Telephone
2. Adultery
3. Disc Jockey
4. Mother and Son

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #55065 in Music
• Released on: 1998-06-23
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording

Amazon.com
By the time An Evening with Mike Nichols and Elaine May opened on Broadway in late 1960, the satirical Chicago duo was already the toast of the comedy world. Their improvised sketches, deft characterizations, and relaxed, intuitive timing made millions laugh on radio and television. Director Arthur Penn further crystallized those skills, running the pair though longer scenes based on past improvisations--including the smarmy "Disc Jockey," the pointed "Adultery," and the timeless "Telephone" (with a frustrated Nichols begging for his lost dime). This long-awaited reissue is the perfect introduction to their influential work and remains an absolute classic of early-'60s comedy. The Broadway billing was prophetic too--both went on to even greater success on the stage and in film. --Michael Ruby

Customer Reviews

Essential
I wish I could give this 5 stars, but I usually skip the "Disk Jockey" track--it's OK, but the other three are just pure gold. I was going to say Nichols usually plays (relatively) straight man to May's loopy characters, but both of them really do get to show off their sense of creativity and humor in the odd ways that seemingly normal people interact. "Adultery" is a set of variations on the same theme: two people meeting at a hotel for a tryst, but in three different countries: The US (where the two obsess about their guilt), England (acting veddy properly, and the man seems to be more interested in the woman's hat than her body), and France (when the woman shows up WITHOUT her husband, the man laments, "But it won't be ze same wizzout George!"). Hilarious. "Telephone" posits Nichols' poor shmuck (he has lost his last dime in a pay phone) against three different telephone company employees, all very inspiringly played by May. "Mother and Son" is a another telephone call, this time between Jewish Mother and put-upon son. You can imagine...("I sat by that phone all Wednedsay, all Thursday, all Friday, [my husband] said 'Phyllis, eat something, you'll faint!'"). This stuff, aside from the practicalities of the telephone service, will never age--it's endlessly enjoyable. Wouldn't it be great if Nichols & May consented to doing some improv together again? Get this for your collection. START a comedy collection with this--you can't do much better.

An Evening With Mike Nichols And Elaine May
In this age of "explicative deleted" humor I was thrilled to find the reissue of this classic, intelligent and creative album. It is as funny now as it was in the 60's. The repartee and the timing are impeccable. Nichols and May have given us so many entertaining moments throughout the years (He as a Director, she as a writer/director. They collaborated recently on "Birdcage") that it really is a thrill to return to their roots. The album has become such a part of my life that bits and pieces; little snippets from the dialog are an integral part of my everyday life. Each vignette is perfect. Just listen and laugh!

One of my all-time favorites
I grew up with this album, and to this day my sister and I can still recite most of it by heart. So it was a real joy when I found it had been released on CD. This is Nichols and May at their zaniest: the desperate man arguing with the officious telephone operator ("That is Kaplan, K as in knife...") or the NASA scientist being lectured by his mother ("I read in the paper where you keep losing them.")

After all these years, this one remains a classic.