‘The Trip to Italy’ (BBC2)- T.V. review; The Italian leg of the series could feel self-indulgent, but….(Adapted from ‘The Guardian’ April 2014)
In 2010's "The Trip," British comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon played slightly fictionalized versions of themselves (Coogan, the philandering gadabout and Brydon, the happily married family man) on a road trip tour across the Northern English countryside, engaging in humorous conversations while reviewing high-end restaurants for The Observer.
Written and directed by Michael Winterbottom, the project aired as a BBC television miniseries, but was condensed into a single film for American audiences. The film mainly functioned as an excuse for the two funnymen to riff off one another in a perpetual game of comedic one-upmanship while gorging themselves on plate after plate of mouthwatering food. The result was a combination of comedy, travelogue, and food, and watching it was just as enjoyable as that description implies. Now comes the sequel, "The Trip to Italy," which sees the men taking a similar tour through (obviously) Italy, cruising around the country to the sounds of Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill" (the only music the men brought with them), and while the film doesn't mess with the formula too much, even more of the same makes for worthwhile entertainment. "We're not going to be doing any impersonations are we, cos we talked about that," says Steve Coogan to Rob Brydon, as they drive their convertible Mini along a twisty Piedmond road near the start of the first episode. Except they are, obviously, because Brydon has just slipped into Tom Jones. And Ronnie Corbett and Al Pacino – and of course Coogan can't help joining in. Good, because the impersonations are one of the brilliant things about The Trip. Not so much the impersonations themselves, but rather the way Coogan and Brydon do them, slipping in a Wogan here, a Morrissey there. Or both doing Michael Caine in a Caine-off. They've reinvented the art of impersonation in a way that makes it not just acceptable but also hilarious.
The roles of the two men are slightly reversed this time around: Brydon enjoys an upswing in his career, landing an audition for the latest Michael Mann film and engaging in an extramarital affair with a pretty tour guide, while Coogan frets over his fractured relationship with his teenage son. As with the first film, "The Trip to Italy" balances inspired silliness (among the best is an extended improvisation imagining of how a crew member might have approached Christian Bale and Tom Hardy on the set of "The Dark Knight Rises" in order to explain to them that no one can understand a bloody word they're saying) with quieter, bittersweet moments as the men admit their constant apprehensions about aging, their careers and the legacy they'll leave behind.Winterbottom isn't afraid to let Coogan and Brydon be unlikeable -- they frequently come across as obnoxious buffoons -- yet they somehow remain sympathetic, their many faults allowing them to feel utterly human. We still care about what happens to them. The balance of light with a touch of darkness makes "The Trip to Italy" a bit meatier than it otherwise might have been, though it never strays too far from its main purpose of being hilarious.
Coogan, Bryden and Michael Winterbottomhave also reinvented the travelogue, the food show and scripted reality, so it's not much about where they are, ilfriggin' coniglioarrosto or whatever. And you never really know what's real. The Observer food columns they say they're writing are obviously not; but what about the good-looking young people on the hotel terrace at the end? Real or placed there?I'd even be up for more adventures from Brydon and Coogan, confronting their middle-aged anxieties and jaunting off in search of the next great culinary delight.
1. What do we learn from the reviewer about the first series in the first paragraph?
- Steve Coogan is more reserved than Rob Brydon.
- Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon work full-time for ‘The Observer.’
- Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are reviewing typical British food.
- Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are themselves but are acting out a role as themselves, too.
2. In the second paragraph, the reviewer says
A. ‘The Trip to Italy’ suffers slightly from the fact it repeats the first series’ format.
B. The American version of the first series contained new material.
C. Coogan and Brydon try to better each other in certain impersonations of famous people.
D. The song ‘Jagged Pill’ is very annoying and should have been omitted.
3. In the third paragraph, we learn that
A. bothCoogan and Brydon’s come across as men whose professional and private lives are in crisis.
B. the series is not just humorous but also touching at times.
C. the director doesn’t like Coogan or Brydon.
D. there are parts which are so stupid that Coogan and Brydon fail to make us laugh.
4. In the fourth and final paragraph, the reviewer
A. wonders how much is improvised and how much is scripted.
B. criticizes the lack of reality portrayed.
C. hints that a third series or film would be risky.
D. states that the director with Coogan and Brydon have drawn on other T.V. formulas used before.
5. What does the reviewer’s overall opinion of ‘The Trip to Italy’ seem to be? Write a summary in your own words.
______
6. Do you like comedians or people who can impersonate famous people? If so, why? If not, what kind of humour do you like? ______
Behind The Scenes
Watching a successful theatre production is an amazing experience. The performance looks (1) ______and everything goes smoothly but this often belies the amount of work that was actually involved. At the Palace Theatre, the average time from the first (2)______to opening night is just four weeks of intensive work. Everyone involved attends the first read-through by the cast, so this is an ideal opportunity to get an(3)______into how a production germinates.
I took myself to the theatre on a (4)______October morning to attend the read-through of the theatre’s new production – the British première of Sive, by the acclaimed Irish (5) ______John B Keane. It is about a young girl about to be married off for money to an old man, while her true love can only look on (6)______. It is a poignant portrayal of rural family life, rich in comedy and filled with (7) ______characters played by an Irish cast for linguistic (8)______.
‘It’s important for people to have a sense of common purpose and (9)______’ explains director Ben Barnes. ‘The play has been in pre-production since June but this is the first reading and it will be (10) ______of how the actors work together. And it’s for the theatre staff as much as the actors.’
- EFFORT ______
- REHEARSE ______
- SIGHT ______
- CHILL ______
- PLAY ______
- HELP ______
- MEMORY ______
- AUTHENTIC ______
- TEAM ______
- INDICATE ______