Pauline Collins is stunningly good in the title role as a 42-year-old woman who leaves her dreary Liverpool life to "find herself" in Greece. Tom Conti plays Costas, the Greek man who actually listens to her in a way her husband hasn’t done for years. But beyond a holiday romance she realises she’s rediscovered who she is.
It’s adapted from the stage play, in which Collins also starred, and you can see how well it would have worked before an audience – especially as she constantly breaks the fourth wall. In places it’s simply a monologue in which she talks about her life.
What makes the feel so affecting is how real she seems as a character and how universal her predicament is. It’s handled with great sensitivity and wit.
There are also roles for Joanna Lumley, Alison Steadman and Julia McKenzie.
Although the scenes of England in the 1980s look horribly dated, the writing is so sharp that this remains a timeless gem.
No comments:
Post a Comment