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In ( Topsy-Turvy, director Mike Leigh
revisits a famous collaboration.
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DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
JN
1/28
2000
84
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS PLUS
372 Oullette Avenue • Windsor, Canada
T
LYNNE KONSTANTIN
Special to the Jewish News
opsy-Turvy is not the sort of
film one would expect from
Mike Leigh. Reviews of his
films invariably include
words like "gritty," "raw," and "bril-
liant" — and not without justification.
The award-winning Secrets and Lies
(1995) follows a young black woman's
search for her natural mother, who
turns out to be white; Naked (1993) is
the disturbing tale of a painfully
nihilistic man; High Hopes (1988)
focuses on a withdrawn and lonely old
woman.
With Topsy-Turvy, opening today at
the Maple Art Theatre, Leigh leaves
behind his trademark examinations of
Britain's contemporary working class
Lynne Konstaritin is a New York-based
freelance writer.
and leads the viewer into the lives of
the musical, period drama and come-
19th-century librettist/composer duo
dy, it is by definition none of those
Gilbert and Sullivan.
things — and much more typical
As the film opens, in the midst of a
Leigh fare than one might presume.
heat wave in 1884 London, librettist
"I'm concerned with putting real life,
William Schwenck Gilbert and com-
real people on the screen," says Leigh.
poser Arthur Sullivan are
"I don't want to make
having their problems but
claims. A lot of filmmak-
Mike Leigh, right:
are contractually obligated
"[With Topsy-Turvyj,
ers are not concerned
to produce a new work.
we've done what I'd
with that; they're into the
The of-late uninspired
have thought responsible macho experience of
Gilbert — the epitome of
biographers at first glance being out there, shooting
should do, which is to
the 19th-century English
action. My thing is to do
take what you can find people and to do them in
gentleman — is resentful
out and then really start a real way."
at being dubbed "the king
to breathe life into it."
of topsy-turvydom" by the
And so he takes this
Times of London.
subject matter, the cre-
Against his will, he accompanies his
ation and rehearsal of the first produc-
wife to an exhibition of Japanese art,
tion of The Mikado, and rather than
which ignites a much-needed spark.
manipulate history, he allows it to
The result: The Mikado, the concept
unfold, letting it evolve on its own.
of which, in turn, inspires the libertine
Leigh first selects his actors, then
Sullivan.
suggests a theme and works with them
Though Topsy-Turvy has elements of LIFE IN THE THEATER on page 86