Inadvertently, we discovered last week that the character Liz Lemon of 30 Rock is only a few months younger than the show’s producer, Tina Fey. The real life writer turned 40 in May, and the make-believe one, Liz, did so last Friday, Oct. 15.
Together, to celebrate the event, they created a rare species of comedy: a totally live episode, which was performed nearly flawlessly last Friday.
“Live Show” was the fourth episode of the fifth season of 30 Rock, the most honored sitcom of the last few years. This is a must-see for comedy fans, even if you have never watched the show.
It is a must-see, because how often does one see Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan, Alec Baldwin, Julia-Louis Dreyfus, Jon Hamm and many other great actors dare to perform live for the whole world to see?
“Live Show,” written by Fey together with Robert Carlock, is nothing spectacular in terms of script, but remember that the actors performed with the cameras rolling, without a net, before a live audience.
What is so special about that, if theater actors do the same thing every night? Two things: first, theater actors become bored repeating the same lines, while the actors of 30 Rock had a single opening and closing night. Second, the speed of 30 Rock’s dialog is nothing like traditional theater. This is a play, but performed at 78 revolutions per minute.
The experience suited them well, although no one would want to watch the series — in that dizzying format — if it were on every Friday. There were a few rough patches, some offstage glances by Baldwin as if asking for a line, some creaky scene changes and a few jokes that fell flat with the audience. In any case, this was a live show without a single serious mistake.
Happy birthday to Liz Lemon and Tina Fey. This was a historic episode, without a doubt, for the American sitcom. A surprising and unnecessary delight.
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