Best one-man/one-woman shows?

July 29, 2022 8:07 PM

What are the best one-man/one-woman shows that I can see recordings of?

I just watched a documentary about Ian McKellen's tour for his 80th birthday -- but it talks about his show while only including snippets of it.

This made me think of Spaulding Gray's amazing shows, a couple of which I was lucky enough to see live.

What are your favorite solo shows that I can still watch online or find on DVD?

posted by wenestvedt to Media & Arts (15 answers total)

Hannah Gadsby, Nanette, on netflix. Absolutley required. previouslies
posted by theora55 at 9:28 PM on July 29, 2022 [13 favorites]

In and Of Itself, Derek DeiGaudios
posted by nickggully at 9:50 PM on July 29, 2022 [9 favorites]

Elaine Stritch: At Liberty
posted by mefireader at 10:16 PM on July 29, 2022 [3 favorites]

It's a one-man film based on a one-man play, so perhaps the remarkable Secret Honor, starring the recently deceased Philip Baker Hall in a bravura turn as Richard Nixon, would qualify.
posted by Dr. Wu at 10:20 PM on July 29, 2022

James Earl Jones: Paul Robeson
posted by mefireader at 10:24 PM on July 29, 2022 [1 favorite]

Gabe Kaplan as Groucho Marx
Will Ferrell as George Bush in “You’re Welcome, America”
The Belle of Amherst with Julie Harris, directed by Charles Nelson Reilly
posted by Melismata at 3:22 AM on July 30, 2022

Heather Woodbury's 8 hour story about Kurt Cobain is pretty amazing. Even if, like me, you don't care at all about the singer. The full length version is hard to find today, but there's an old This American Life snippet.

Joe Frank's live stuff is great, but all paywalled. In more straightfoward standup commedy, I recommend Eddie Izzard.
posted by eotvos at 5:43 AM on July 30, 2022

I haven't been able to find it online, but it's amazing so I will put in a word for The Syringa Tree. I saw it in Cambridge when it was first produced, and had the classic experience of forgetting it was a one-actor play. I would have sworn there were a half dozen people up there.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 6:56 AM on July 30, 2022

The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe - Lily Tomlin - I watched this on Kanopy, but I don't see it there now
Carrie Fisher: Wishful Drinking (HBO)
All is Lost - Robert Redford's boat is sinking - for rent via streaming
posted by typetive at 8:48 AM on July 30, 2022 [4 favorites]

If it counts, Eric Bogosian's Pounding Nails in the Floor With My Forehead is a one-person play.

Here's a full-length recording of a performance on YouTube.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 8:59 AM on July 30, 2022

Heidi Shreck's What The Constitution Means to Me was a Pulitzer finalist a few years ago, and is streaming on Amazon Prime. It's very very good, and relevant to the current moment.
posted by suelac at 9:58 AM on July 30, 2022 [4 favorites]

With the caveat that I have seen recordings of these (all staples of PBS) but I haven’t looked into where you can watch them:

Twilight: Los Angeles 1992 by Anna Deveare Smith

A Huey P Newton Story by Roger Guenveur Smith.

Mark Twain Tonight! by Hal Holbrook
posted by vunder at 10:11 AM on July 30, 2022 [3 favorites]

Frank Ferrante as Groucho was unbelievable and recently shown on PBS, so it might be available somewhere.
posted by wittgenstein at 3:37 PM on July 30, 2022 [1 favorite]

Fleabag, the play
posted by lalochezia at 5:34 PM on July 30, 2022 [1 favorite]

Hasan Minhaj's Homecoming King, streaming on Netflix, is about growing up with immigrant Muslim parents. It's fantastic and won a Peabody award.
posted by ceejaytee at 9:23 AM on July 31, 2022 [3 favorites]