Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
In the events series Letters Live, performers read notable letters – old and new, original and written by others – in front of a live audience. In this video, as part of the Letters Live event at the Royal Albert Hall in London in November 2023, the US-born comedian Rob Delaney reads a 1st-century letter by the ancient Roman lawyer and writer Pliny the Younger. Addressing his friend Septicius Clarus, who had stood him up for a meal, Pliny excoriates his flaky dinner mate for the boorishness of his offence, and laments the unrealised joys they surely would have shared. Performed with delightful verve by Delaney, the short is both hilarious and humanising. For, although we might not long for the delicacies of three snails, two eggs and a lettuce, the pain of a social slight still cuts deep.
Via Open Culture
Video by Letters Live
video
Wellbeing
Born in China, Zee seeks a gender-affirming life in the American Midwest
11 minutes
video
Rituals and celebrations
A whale hunt is an act of prayer for an Inuit community north of the Arctic Circle
8 minutes
video
Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
video
Politics and government
How it looked to Afghan women to see the Taliban return to power
33 minutes
video
Love and friendship
Love looks a bit different for a chain-smoking couple in a small apartment
11 minutes
video
Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
video
The ancient world
The six priestesses who kept the flame of ancient Rome alight at risk of death
5 minutes
video
Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
video
Architecture
West Africa was once an architectural laboratory. Is it time for a revival?
12 minutes