Theatre review: Unreachable at the Royal Court
IF Anthony Neilson’s play betrays its origins as a work devised by the company, it is a small price to pay for a largely entertaining evening.
IFormer Doctor Who, Matt Smith, delivers a confident portrait of a pretentious film director
Former Doctor Who, Matt Smith, delivers a confident portrait of a pretentious film director whose critical success has gone to his head. Helming a big-budget, post-apocalyptic epic, Maxim makes life impossible for his colleagues including his loyal producer Anastasia (Amanda Drew) and his resentful lighting cameraman Carl (Richard Pyros).
A perfectionist, Maxim seems intent on sabotaging his movie by demanding a switch from digital to more costly fi lm, hiring uninsurably psychotic actor Ivan and seeking the unattainable “perfect light”.
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A gifted but deluded romantic, he even falls for his leading lady Natasha (Tamara Lawrence) whose workaday pragmatism is totally at odds with his own elevated aspirations. Played out in a series of movie scenes, Unreachable lacks a proper structure and its end approaches absurdity when the bare stage transforms into a lightdrenched, tree-filled idyll.
But Jonjo O’Neill plays Ivan as Klaus Kinski and his arrival kicks the whole thing on to the level of farce – maddeningly funny if somewhat distracting.
UNREACHABLE at the Royal Court, until August 6. Tickets: 020 565 5000
NEIL NORMAN @NJStreitberger