Beginner's Luck
I suppose I'd better start (for those who don't know me!) by saying that I don't think I
am capable of impartiality just yet, but it's good to strike while the iron's hot. So here
goes.
The story opens with a bloke called Mark (played by James, BTW) becoming inspired to
follow his dreams (well, that's got to be better than the 9 to 5 grind, hasn't it?) and
setting up a theatre company. Easy! With no money, no experience and only the vision of a
fantastic magical island to keep him going, he sets about gathering a cast and booking a
theatre. Admittedly, it's just the downstairs of a strip club, and the cast have never
acted before in their lives, but everyone has to start somewhere. The group of friends and
actors take their show on the road in search of the critical acclaim, wealth and fame that
must surely await them. Strangely enough, they discover it isn't that simple.
Retelling any more of the action would give away too much, but to echo the words of the
marketing man, it has all the necessary elements of a twenty-something road movie: friends
and fights, anarchy and magic, along with a good smattering of witty lines and the
ubiquitous battered VW van.
James Callis devotees and connoisseurs will not be disappointed, as he is constantly on
the screen, and the rest of the cast are also excellent, although I would have liked to
have got to know the characters rather better than there was time for.
Filmed in approved Brit-movie style with silent-movie boards separating the scenes and
themes and a varied and complementary soundtrack, we can only hope that one of the agents
snaps it up. No doubt we shall hear in due course...
Pippa
14 March 2001
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