THE WEEK IN REVIEW
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Your support makes all the difference.THE FILM Breaking the Waves overview
Emily Watson stars as a saint-like Scots girl whose marriage brings a kind of martyrdom in Lars von Trier's emotional tale of doubt, faith, love and redemption. The Cannes Grand Jury prizewinner.
critical view
Adam Mars-Jones hailed "an astonishing film, so well thought-out and passionately executed". "A melodrama of astonishing power ... holds you, sometimes painfully, in its grip for every one of 158 minutes," cried the Times. "A fearless performance and a devastating film," trumpeted Premiere. "A test for the stomach as well as the eyes," sniffed the Standard. "Overwhelming ... a remarkable achievement," applauded Time Out.
on view
Lumiere, London WC2 (0171-370 3014) and at selected screens across London. our view Intensely naturalistic performances, stylised camera work, a flood of emotion.
THE PLAY Art
overview
Matthew Warchus directs Tom Courtenay, Albert Finney and Ken Stott in Christopher Hampton's translation of Yasmina Reza's smash hit comedy about friendship, betrayal and modern art.
critical view
Impressed but wary, Paul Taylor enjoyed "meringue masquerading as piquantly sauced meat". "A remarkably wise, witty and elegant comedy," cooed the Times. "An endless stream of enjoyably philistine jokes ... Cracking entertainment," grinned the Telegraph. "Invigorating, disturbing and finally touching," praised the FT. "Superbly acted and directed ... for all its manifest cleverness, panders to popular prejudice," sniffed the Guardian.
on view
Booking fast at Wyndham's Theatre, London WC2 (0171-369 1736) our view An elegant, intelligent comedy allowing audiences to indulge their philistinism.
THE OPERA The Ring overview
Richard Jones's revised Royal Opera production of Wagner's complete Ring cycle, designed by Nigel Lowery, conducted by Bernard Haitink with casts including Siegfried Jerusalem and John Tomlinson.
critical view
Disagreeing with the Independent's earlier assessment, Robin Holloway couldn't reconcile the "incongruities between the seen and the heard". "Much, much better," approved the FT. "Seeks to express the human significance of the Ring ... compelling," judged the Guardian. "Haitink is one of the great Wagnerians ... a Ring for and of today, thoughtful, comfortless, 'critical' in the very best sense," cheered the Times.
on view
Tonight: Gotterdammerung; final cycle 24, 25, 28 Oct & 2 Nov at Covent Garden (0171-304 4000) and on Radio 3.
our view
Traditionalists should stay home. Everyone else should consider the pilgrimage.
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