‘SNL’ and Cameron Diaz Present the Best Worst Theater Showcase Ever
Sometimes, the best ‘SNL’ sketches are the simplest. There's no real gimmick to this sketch about pretentious amateur theater and it’s awfully low-concept compared to what often makes it on the show these days, but it has a lot going for it. Chief among the things that it has going for it: it‘s really, really funny.
Anyone who was ever involved in high school theater or a community theater company will watch the video above and nod with recognition and shame. There is nothing that makes you feel more self-important than performing live on stage ... and few things are as horrible and painful than suffering through a live performance that you can't leave because someone you love is in the cast. Surely most artistic people have endured an experimental, up-its-own-butt play once, either as a member of the audience or cast.
What's especially fun about this sketch is how it utilizes almost the entire cast, giving just about everyone something funny to do. The crew on stage (including guest host Cameron Diaz) nail the hilarious awfulness of pretentious theater, but the biggest laughs belong to Vanessa Bayer and Kenan Thompson, who play two parents suffering in the audience. Thompson's confusion about why they keep moving around the boxes in between scenes is particularly wonderful. ‘SNL’ could stand to have more great ensemble pieces like this. This cast really gels when as many of them share the stage as possible.