Backstage shenanigans in the theatre world not only makes interesting material for plays (Noises Off!), but also for movies (Waiting for Guffman). The ego trips, the casting disputes, and the strain of the rehearsal process could easily be enough to merit a trip to the Jerry Springer show. But how was the rehearsal process for shows that were staged over a century ago?
The picture Topsy-Turvy is a meticulous and satisfying recreation of these issues, and much more. It's about the famous pair of Gilbert and Sullivan, and takes place between the opening of their operetta Princess Ida and concludes just after the opening of their next operetta The Mikado. It is a crucial times for the collaborative duo, as they are beginning to show signs of repetition and the creative well starts to look dry. It's not until Gilbert (Jim Broadbent) catches a bit of Kabuki theatre that he is struck with the inspiration to write The Mikado, and we are taken through the entire production process, from singing and blocking rehearsals, to the full-costume regalia before opening night.
There is an array of supporting characters that each contribute to the success of the operetta, but they aren't fleshed out even a fraction as well as the two principles. This causes some of the extended passages to dissipate in energy and drags the pace in some spots. It struck me as I watched that perhaps a broader overview of Gilbert and Sullivan's complete run of shows might have offered more dramatic high points and not limited the amount of research and source material that could have been used.
All the same, Topsy-Turvy thankfully pays a great amount of attention to detail, and is highly informative at times. As written and directed by Mike Leigh, it alternates between fascinating and silly. Leigh is able to depict how trivial theatre folk can really be, but also captures the joys of a show's success and/or failure. The best performances are by Allan Corduner (Sullivan), Broadbent as Gilbert, Timothy Spall as the haughty Richard Temple, and Ron Cook as Richard D'Oyly Carte, the theatre owner.
I can only imagine the efforts that went into making Topsy-Turvy, but I don't understand how it ended up on so many top ten critic lists when it was released in 1999. In the sense that it is fun and well-made, I could safely recommend it to anyone, but for me it didn't rise above its aptly-worded, ambiguous title.
