Dexter Fletcher's new film TOPSY TURVY

[Vince Deehan]

I was very privileged to be at the first UK screening of Mike Leigh's
new film TOPSY TURVY, at the London Film Festival last night.  The film
was excellent and showed the goings on behind the scenes as Gilbert and
Sullivan worked on their new production THE MIKADO.  

Dexter Fletcher played Sullivan's man-servant, and had a pitifully small
role, I am sorry to say. He appears at the very start of the film, and
reappears briefly about halfway through. His total screen time is about
5 minutes, if that. I was very sad to see that his role was so very
minor. He barely speaks at all, but when he does he uses a mixture of a
posh English accent and a French accent- which it seems was the in-thing
at that time !  Many of the characters lapse into a bit of French lingo
from time to time !

I didn't see Dexter at the screening, but he may well have been there.
At the end, Mike Leigh and many of the actors who were in attendance
went up on stage and spoke about their roles in the film and answered
questions.  This is what makes these film festival screenings so
exciting !  I suspect that even if Dexter was in the audience, he may
possibly ( I say only possibly) have been hesitant to go up on stage as
his role was so small - that's certainly how I think I would have felt,
had that role been mine ! 

The next film I am off to see at the festival is one our Australian
PGers , will have already had the chance to see, TWO HANDS.  

Vince Deehan
Wembley
London
http://www.deehan.demon.co.uk