TOPSY TURVY | Strand Theatre TOPSY TURVY Presented by the Saltwater Film Society A special introduction to Gilbert and Sullivan by the Saltwater Film Society at 1pm will precede the screening of this acclaimed film. From 1871 to 1896, Gilbert and Sullivan wrote 14 operettas that ruled the London theater and have influenced musical theater to this day. Director Mike Leigh brings the world of Gilbert and Sullivan to life in the dramatization of the staging of the legendary comic opera, THE MIKADO. Taking place during the 15-month period between the disappointing first night of PRINCESS IDA and the premiere of the MIKADO, Jim Broadbent and Allan Corduner brilliantly portray the world-famous Victorian librettist William Schwenk Gilbert, and the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan who must overcome their differences to launch a major production. TOPSY TURVY is a lushly produced epic with bravura performances and an Oscar for costume design and makeup. Jim Broadbent won Best Actor at the 1999 Venice Film Festival.

Members of the operetta's cast includes Shirley Henderson, Dorothy Atkinson, Martin Savage, Timothy Spall, and Kevin McKidd. Noted for intimate character studies created in collaboration with his actors, director Mike Leigh has made his only period film using his unique production style of hiring and working with the actors first, and then writing the script. The result is a very detailed film with actors who truly understand the characters they are playing. The dialogue is consistently elegant and funny. "This is not grand opera in Milan. It is merely low burlesque in a small theatre on the banks of the River Thames," the task master Gilbert tells a stubborn actor. Directed by Mike Leigh Topsy-Turvy: Timothy Spall, Wendy Nottingham, Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Ron Cook, Lesley Manville, Mike Leigh: Amazon.co.uk: LOVEFiLM By Post LOVEFiLM by Post Movies and TV seasons on DVD and Blu-ray to rent By Post. 4.5 out of 5 stars ( 132 ) IMDb 7.4/10 LOVEFiLM By Post William Schwenck Gilbert is the librettist, writing the words. Arthur Sullivan is the composer, writing the music.

Gilbert is the very model of a 19th-century British gentleman, an overly proper married man certain that he knows best. For nearly a decade, Gilbert and Sullivan's collaborations have delighted the English people. Their popular comic operas have recouped handsomely for the successful Savoy Theatre... But, in 1884, as a London heat wave cuts into the theater trade, their latest work, "Princess Ida," receives lukewarm press. Sullivan rejects Gilbert's next idea as "topsy-turvy" and unbelievable, and although Gilbert tries to accommodate him, they cannot agree. Mired at a creative impasse, Gilbert and Sullivan can barely converse. Then, Gilbert's wife, Lucy "Kitty" Gilbert, drags him along to a Japanese exhibition--exposure to the very different culture begins inspiration to embark on the production of "The Mikado." Starring: By Andy Millward VINE VOICE on 24 Jan. 2004 Format: DVD Make no mistake, this film succeeds on many levels, not least in resurrecting Mike Leigh's career just when you thought there was no more scope for improvised dialogue!

His treatment of Gilbert and Sullivan is sympathetic, given the reputation of both men for being grumpy and irrascible. Both come across as human and three dimensional, certainly not cardboard cutouts. Both notably come alive as the Mikado project gathers pace, though Gilbert's evident distate for his own libretto is also noted. Broadbent and Cordunier are magnificent, easily worthy of Oscars (Jim Broadbent's award for Iris was evidently also a recognition of performances such as this.) In fact, all of the ensemble cast are all stupendously credible and entertaining. Taking the viewer through rehearsals may be tedious in some eyes, but offers a fascinating glimpse of the creative process in action. The music is a clear winner here, bringing out the nuances of wit and inspiration in the text and showing just why G&S were the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice of their day. Splendid effort - can't imagine the subject matter being given a more rousing encore!

Topsy-Turvy DVD review | Cine Outsider A UK region 2 DVD review of TOPSY-TURVY by Slarek Mike Leigh has over the years carved himself a very particular niche via a body of films that includes such gems as Abigail's Party, High Hopes, Naked , Life is Sweet and All or Nothing, works that examine private lives in turmoil with a mixture of unnerving accuracy, tragedy-tinged character comedy and open parody. Leigh's method of script construction is famously unique: he devises the story and characters (his early films carried the credit "devised by Mike Leigh"), selects his actors, works with them for some weeks, encouraging them to improvise freely, then constructs the script based largely on the results. When it works best – as in the magnificent Life is Sweet – it produces films that are both an exaggeration of reality and completely true to life in a way that marks Leigh as one of this country's finest and most important film-makers. So it came as something as a surprise when it was first announced that was making a film that was not a slice of modern social observation located in suburban London, but a biographical backstage musical set in Victorian times. Could this possibly be a Mike Leigh film?

The Mike Leigh? As it turns out, yes. Leigh has in his time directed extensively for the stage as well as for film, and his passion for the theatre comes across here in spades. Topsy-Turvy revolves around the hugely successful (and influential) partnership of William S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan as their latest production, 'Princess Ida', opens at London's Savoy Theatre. Reviews, though favourable, highlight a lack of evolution from their previous works, and audiences soon dwindle, not helped by a particularly unpleasant summer heatwave. Gilbert expresses frustration and Sullivan declares that he will write no more comic operas and instead follow his ambition to create the grand opera he believes the public now expects of him. But a chance visit to a Japanese exhibition in London – which includes a kendo demonstration and a theatrical performance of a scene from The Forty-Seven Ronin – inspires Gilbert to create a script that re-unites him with his long-time collaborator, and becomes what was to prove one of their very greatest successes, 'The Mikado'.

Biographical films, especially historical ones, are tricky beasts to get right, as there seems to be an almost universally accepted template for their presentation that most film-makers seem to feel obliged to follow. At its worst this is stiff, reverential, visually impressive and dull, but just five minutes into Topsy-Turvy you just know that Leigh has no intention of walking this road. Even the first shot, of theatre workers meticulously checking the seats for the opening night of the new opera, seems to proclaim that this one is going to break the mould. Where the film does share common ground with Leigh's other work is in its concentration on character, its lively dialogue, its extraordinary performances, and the frankly jaw-dropping level of character detail. Selling Leigh's improvisational approach to the uninitiated is a job and a half here, especially given the period setting and subject matter and the fact that film runs for 152 minutes. Adding to that, the single paragraph plot summary above pretty much covers the essentials – the rest is all about character and performance, and we are almost an hour into the film before Gilbert even finds his unexpected inspiration.

But therein lies the film's very real delight, in allowing us to be privy to the private lives of these public figures, in the backstage camaraderie and ego-duels, in following the process from the moment of inspiration to the completed opera. Leigh makes it all work so well because he refuses to sugar-coat the lives he is portraying: Sullivan is shown to be struggling with kidney disease and bored with creating the very works that have brought him his fame, whilst Gilbert comes across as self-centred and relentlessly downbeat about just about everything ("There's something inherently disappointing about success," he morosely states after The Mikado's triumphant first night). It's an attitude his wife Kitty finds increasingly wearisome, despite her efforts to maintain a devoted and chirpy front. Elsewhere Leigh subtly links these issues to the social conditions of the time – as Kitty uses theatrical metaphor to communicate to her husband her despair at their childless and sexless marriage, Sullivan's mistress Fanny makes her own arrangements for another abortion in a society that shuns children born out of wedlock.

This prejudice has also ensured that lead soprano and single mother Leonora Braham is unable to find a male suitor, a situation that has driven her to drink, an addiction that is starting to threaten her career. All of which may make Topsy-Turvy sound like a dark and even depressing tale, but nothing could be further from the truth. These elements are weaved unobtrusively into a film that is infused with a passion and a love for theatre, and one that must rank as Leigh's most uplifting and dare I say joyous work to date. Leigh combines a sly narrative economy – Gilbert's moment of fourth-wall breaking moment of inspiration is followed by an imagined musical number and a scene in which the completed script is being read out to a delighted Sullivan – with extended scenes in which we just sit back and watch the performers explore their characters. And not for one second is it even remotely dull or drawn out. Leigh has complete faith in his material and his actors, and neither let him down.

This blend of trust and talent gives birth to scenes that are an absolute joy to watch, principally for the character detail and what the performers bring to the table: Sullivan energetically running though a musical number with his three male leads; the eight minute rehearsal sequence in which Gilbert attempts to iron out the performance eccentricities of his cast; the hilarious attempts to make the leading ladies walk in 'a Japanese manner' that culminates in a glorious rendition of Three Little Maids From School Are We... this list goes on and on. Without doubt the film's principal pleasure lies in its performances, and rarely have I seen a film with such consistently marvellous acting across the board. Every character leaves their considerable mark, especially in ensemble scenes, where every line is played to a finely judged hilt. Selecting individual cast members for specific praise is an almost redundant task, but special mention must nevertheless go to Allan Corduner, who is just magnificent as the effervescent Sullivan, with his skill as a pianist also put to splendid use.

He is given a serious run for his money by Leigh irregular Jim Broadbent as Gilbert, Wendy Nottingham as the no-nonsense Helen Lenoir ("The more I see of men, the more I admire dogs"), Ron Cook as D'Oyly Carte ("Well I don't know about you, but speaking for myself I could murder a pork chop"), Lesley Manville as the resiliently put-upon Kitty, Martin Savage as George Grossmith, Timothy Spall (another Leigh irregular) as Richard Temple, and Kevin McKidd as Durward Lely, a Scotsman who feigns an aristocratic English accent when in the theatre, which he happily drops when eating with friends or intimidating staff. As if that weren't enough, every one of them holds their own in their energetic performances of Gilbert and Sullivan musical numbers that pepper the film, keenly illustrating the sheer breadth of talent required of theatre performers worth their salt. Topsy-Turvy may on the surface seem an atypical Mike Leigh film and in many ways it is, but it's also his most accessible, and demonstrates many of the qualities that have made Leigh one of the key film-makers of his generation.

In the end, though, it comes unreservedly recommended not for the man behind it, but for what it is, a multi-layered, beautifully performed, joyously exuberant celebration of the world of musical theatre, and of two of its most celebrated, talented and fascinating figures. sound and vision A clean, bright transfer that nevertheless loses gobs of points through being non-anamorphic. This was particularly irritating on its release because it marked a dual standard on the part of distributor Pathe, who have released anamorphic prints of big Hollywood films such as The Fifth Element but consistently failed to deliver the goods on smaller works such as this (though let's not forget that Topsy-Turvy won two Oscars and was nominated for two more). It's a particular sore point because the American region 1 disk sports the anamorphic print this should have had. The 5.1 sound mix is bright and full, but weighted to the front sound stage, which is fully utilised. A bit more rear speaker action would have provided a more involving mix, but otherwise no complaints. The music otherwise sounds terrific and the dialogue is always crystal clear.

extra features Apart from the expected theatrical trailer (though this is really well cut together, if technically inferior to the main feature in terms of picture and sound), there is only one, and it's this alone that gives Pathe's disk an edge over its anamorphic region 1 counterpart: a director's commentary track. Not only was this the first Mike Leigh commentary to appear on DVD, it's quite simply one of the most compelling and informative I have yet heard. Leigh provides an absolute wealth of background detail about not just the film, but the lives of the main characters, the music chosen by arranger Carl Davis, and the facts behind scenes that it would be easy to assume were fictionalised. There are almost no dead patches, Leigh only going quiet at the end when, as he says, the scenes work so well there is simply nothing for him to add. summary Topsy-Turvy is a marvelous film, a gorgeously performed and detailed character piece that reflects Leigh's own love of theatre and has more character detail in one scene than most period films do in their entire length.

Despite pushing plot to the background, it creates such a sense of pace through the performances, the music, the rich layering and energy with which it is assembled, that the 152 minute running time literally flies by. The result is one of the best biographical films I have ever seen, and a text book example of how it is still possible to make a vibrant and original work from seemingly familiar material. Whether you choose to buy this disk or the region 1 equivalent will depend on your fondness for director's commentaries. If you do not care for them then go for the region 1 – it has an anamorphic transfer, a featurette and a photo gallery to recommend it. But if you really want to know more about the background to this film, about how it was made, researched and cast, then Leigh's commentary is a must, and the region 2 disk wins on that alone. Topsy-Turvy Audience Reviews for Topsy-Turvy ½ Mike Leigh would not be the first name that springs to mind when presented with a biopic of Gilbert and Sullivan. Possibly Anthony Minghella, or maybe Ang Lee, but never a director only known for gritty, unremittingly depressing working-class drama.

However, in 'Topsy-Turvy', Leigh has not only directed, but written, a fine piece of period comedy-drama. Leigh, it transpires, has always loved Gilbert and Sullivan and the love shows in his highly polished script. It not only exploits the music and words of the great nineteenth-century operettists but retains a feeling for the wit of their work throughout. W.S. Gilbert (Jim Broadbent) is more than annoyed at suggestions that he is becoming unoriginal and Arthur Sullivan (Allan Corduner) rather tired with working with him. He wants to produce great music and is uninspired by Gilbert's latest libretto. A chance visit to an exhibition of Japanese customs and produce stimulates Gilbert to write 'The Mikado', one of his most witty works (and, it seems, Leigh's favourite). After a lengthy vacation, Sullivan is willing to write the accompanying music and rehearsals begin. This is where Leigh's brilliance as both writer and director shines through, creating enormously entertaining and dramatic scenes while underlining the partners' unceasing perfectionism.

A cast full of Leigh regulars, headed by the dreaming Corduner and wonderfully cantankerous Broadbent, are marvellous, with Timothy Spall and Kevin McKidd stealing the show as a pair of complete 'luvvy' actors. It is Shirley Henderson (also excellent in Michael Winterbottom's 'Wonderland') who gives the film a real emotional centre, however, as a widowed actress slowly turning to drink. Leigh's past, it seems, has not entirely been left behind. Cassandra Maples Super Reviewer When a director you love goes out on a limb, it often ends in tears, particularly if their chosen vanity project is a musical. Martin Scorsese and Stephen Frears both wobbled when their minds turned to music; both New York, New York and Mrs. Henderson Presents lack the obsessive craft and flourish we expect from these directors. And that's not to mention At Long Last Love, Peter Bogdanovich's atrocious Cole Porter homage, which is so bad that it has never been released on home video. But then of course, Mike Leigh has never been one to follow the herd.

Topsy-Turvy, about the partnership of Gilbert and Sullivan surrounding the writing of The Mikado, is as far removed from his 'ordinary' subject matter as one can humanly conceive. Yet it remains a quintessentially Mike Leigh film in its meticulous focus on characters and the absence of anything which feels false or contrived. Like all of Leigh's films, Topsy-Turvy is centrally a rich character study. He never starts with a script, preferring to improvise scenes with the actors, plotting out the course of the characters in terms of their relationships with others, and then creating stories out of this. His films are less concerned with moving the plot forward than with exploring how relationships change in the face of adversity, which helps to explain both the long running time and the incredible attachment you feel towards the people on screen. Leigh is not the most disciplined director around, and there are certain moments which either don't belong at all or which should have been tightened up. Many of these are of scenes running on too long, like Gilbert's unnecessary chat with his father. But the weirdest of these moments comes about 20 minutes in.

We find Sullivan in a French brothel, watching a dance by two topless women, while in the background a man eerily resembling Ralph Fiennes is playing the piano and singing falsetto. It's a really strange scene which makes you wonder where all of this is heading. Fortunately of us, there is very little about Topsy-Turvy which is either confusing or irritating. The film in general is a delight, combining a series of wonderful performances with a meticulous period setting and a strong score fully integrated into the action. It manages to get the audience interested in a subject matter which is more at home in historical papers or making-of documentaries. What we get in this film is the relationships between a host of interesting and highly personal characters, and an insight into all the little struggles involved behind the scenes in a theatre production. An even bigger coup is to take music which many people consider toe-curling and turn it into an exciting spectacle. The origin of the music is carefully explored, bound up in both the struggle between Gilbert and Sullivan and in the nature of Victorian society. By giving us an insight into the rich language of the well-to-dos before a single note has been sung, Leigh situates the music in an historically specific context.

It is a subtle argument that each piece of music is perfectly suited only to the time and place in which it is created; what was once visionary is now cheesy and twee. What we are seeing here is not modern actors reinterpreting old hat; we are witnesses to an organic creative process which can never be properly replicated. This musical coup is bolstered by the realistic score. Allan Corduner, who plays Sullivan, seems to be genuinely playing the piano when he is required, and his conducting is not simply that of an actor waving his hands in a random direction with the intention of looking pompous. The entire orchestra appear to be playing their instruments and are captured masterfully by Carl Davis, who manages to give us the clarity of a modern recording while replicating the feeling of a orchestra pit. The film as a whole looks ravishing, thanks to Dick Pope's wonderful cinematography. The sets and costumes of the Savoy Theatre correspond largely to drawings and descriptions of the period, and the choreography is kept deliberately creaky to avoid any anachronisms. People may complain that you can do more with a fan than simply open and close it, but that was now the case on the stage of the 1880s.

The point is that, as with the music, you feel genuinely transported to a different time and place, which is admirable even if that time and place is not to your personal taste. Don't think for one minute, however, that Mike Leigh has gone soft. It may all seem spiffing and whimsical on the surface, but there is a darkness to Topsy-Turvy which is trickier to spot. In amongst all the wonderful and hilarious scenes of actors bitching, we have glimpses of the darker side of Victorian life. The most obvious come towards the end, where Gilbert is accosted in the dark streets by a mad beggar, and we see an underdeveloped glimpse of Grossmith's heroin addiction. More subtle is the scene of collective, almost socialistic defiance when Temple's solo is cut by Gilbert; the entire chorus corner Gilbert the next day outside and convince him to re-instate it. Leigh is reminding us in these scenes not to be seduced by all the pretty colours and floral language. Like the music and the acting, we have to acknowledge their virtues as being historically specific. The film has a really great cast of much-loved British character actors.

Jim Broadbent and Allan Corduner are perfect as Gilbert and Sullivan, with the former being stubborn, volatile and yet strangely warm. Timothy Spall has never been better as Temple; his scenes with Kevin McKidd are simply to die for. They are laugh-out-loud funny, being both incredibly ostentatious and yet deeply moving. It's also the only film in which you'll get to see him dance around in a kimono with a feeler on his head. Elsewhere there are strong supporting roles from Ron Cook and Shirley Henderson, along with a sadly fleeting cameo from Alison Steadman. All the actors sing very well, and the film doesn't simply end in a predictable triumph. The series of revelations surrounding the abortion, Gilbert's marriage and the uncertainty of Henderson's character, pull us back into the real world after all the luvvie stuff has worn off. Leigh wants us to wonder what became of these people, deliberately leaving things open and giving us with limited information Topsy-Turvy is Mike Leigh at his most playful and whimsical, but as we have seen all the dark and classic elements of his work remain.

It represents a broadening of his palette, perhaps proof to his critics that he could do more than present-day kitchen-sink dramas. This could be seen as the trial run to Vera Drake, but Topsy-Turvy deserves recognition in its own right. It aptly captures the world of the 1880s, marries it with Leigh's political sensibilities and so produces a highly interesting and entertaining period piece. It's too long, baggy, and certain sections will be too quaint for the full-blooded Trots among us. But it is still a fine achievement, and proof that musicals are not beyond the talents of the best directors. Daniel Mumby Topsy Turvy - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia I Love to read n write about Interesting People Topsy Turvy 154 min Country United Kingdom Release date 3 September 1999 (1999-09-03) (Venice) 15 December 1999 (1999-12-15) (US) 18 February 2000 (2000-02-18) (UK) Songs Behold!

The Lord High Executioner Cast Allan Corduner (Sir Arthur Sullivan), Jim Broadbent (W. S. Gilbert), Timothy Spall (Richard Temple (The Mikado)), Dexter Fletcher (Louis), Shirley Henderson (Leonora Braham (Yum-Yum)), Ron Cook (Richard D'Oyly Carte) Similar movies Southland Tales, Jamon Jamon, Dreamgirls, J. Edgar, The Captive, Darktown Strutters Tagline Gilbert & Sullivan & So Much More Topsy turvy trailer 1999 the criterion collection Sponsored Links The lives of the Victorian Era operatic composers Gilbert and Sullivan. Takes place during the original composition of the 1884 staging that would be one of their most famous works, "The Mikado." During this time they were anything but a sure thing, and this movie depicts how they turned things around. Topsy-Turvy is a 1999 musical drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh and stars Allan Corduner as Sir Arthur Sullivan and Jim Broadbent as W. S. Gilbert, along with Timothy Spall and Lesley Manville.

The story concerns the 15-month period in 1884 and 1885 leading up to the premiere of Gilbert and Sullivans The Mikado. The film focuses on the creative conflict between playwright and composer, and the decision by the two men to continue their partnership, which led to the creation of several more famous Savoy Operas between them. The film was not released widely, but it received very favourable reviews, including a number of film festival awards and two design Academy Awards. While considered an artistic success, illustrating Victorian era British life in the theatre in depth, the film did not recover its production costs. Leigh cast actors who did their own singing in the film, and the singing performances were faulted by some critics, while others lauded Leighs strategy. After their production "Princess Ida" meets with less-than-stunning reviews, the relationship between Gilbert and Sullivan is strained to breaking. Their friends and associates attempt to get the two to work together again, which opens the way to "The Mikado," one of the duo's greatest successes.

Topsy turvy 1999 the trio rehearsal to sit in solemn silence Plot On the opening night of Princess Ida at the Savoy Theatre in January 1884, composer Sir Arthur Sullivan (Allan Corduner), who is ill from kidney disease, is barely able to make it to the theatre to conduct. He goes on a holiday to Continental Europe hoping that the rest will improve his health. While he is away, ticket sales and audiences at the Savoy Theatre wilt in the hot summer weather. Producer Richard DOyly Carte (Ron Cook) has called on Sullivan and the playwright W. S. Gilbert (Jim Broadbent) to create a new piece for the Savoy, but it is not ready when Ida closes. Until a new piece can be prepared, Carte revives an earlier Gilbert and Sullivan work, The Sorcerer. Gilberts idea for their next opera features a transformative magic potion, which Sullivan feels is too similar to the magic lozenge and other magic talismans used in previous operas and appears mechanical in its reliance on a supernatural device.

Sullivan, under pressure to write more serious music, says he longs for something that is "probable" and involves "human interest", and is not dependent on magic. Gilbert sees nothing wrong with his libretto and refuses to write a new one, which results in a standoff. The impasse is resolved after Gilbert and his wife visit a popular exhibition of Japanese arts and crafts in Knightsbridge, London. When the katana sword he purchases there falls noisily off the wall of his study, he is inspired to write a libretto set in exotic Japan. Sullivan likes the idea and agrees to compose the music for it. Sponsored Links Gilbert, Sullivan and Carte work to make The Mikado a success, and many glimpses of rehearsals and stressful backstage preparations for the show follow: Cast members lunch together before negotiating their salaries. Gilbert brings in Japanese girls from the exhibition to teach the ladies chorus how to walk and use fans in the Japanese manner. The principal cast react to the fittings of their costumes designed by C. Wilhelm. The entire cast object to Gilberts proposed cut of the title characters Act Two solo, "A more humane Mikado," which persuades the playwright to reconsider.

The actors face first-night jitters in their dressing rooms. Finally The Mikado is ready to open. As usual, Gilbert is too nervous to watch the opening performance and paces the streets of London. Returning to the theatre, however, he finds that the new opera is a resounding success. Cast Jim Broadbent as W. S.

Gilbert Ron Cook as Richard DOyly Carte, owner of the Savoy Theatre Allan Corduner as Sir Arthur Sullivan Eleanor David as Fanny Ronalds, Sullivans mistress Dexter Fletcher as Louis, Sullivans butler Vincent Franklin as Rutland Barrington, who plays Pooh-Bah Lesley Manville as Lucy "Kitty" Gilbert, Gilberts wife Timothy Spall as Richard Temple, who plays the Mikado Martin Savage as George Grossmith, who plays Ko-Ko Dorothy Atkinson as Jessie Bond, who plays Pitti-Sing Louise Gold as Rosina Brandram, who plays Katisha Shirley Henderson as Leonora Braham, who plays Yum-Yum Kevin McKidd as Durward Lely, who plays Nanki-Poo Wendy Nottingham as Helen Lenoir, Cartes indispensable assistant Cathy Sara as Sybil Grey, who plays Peep-Bo Andy Serkis as John DAuban, choreographer Naoko Mori as Miss "Sixpence Please" Michael Simkins as Frederick Bovill, who plays Pish-Tush Sukie Smith as Clothilde, Sullivans maid Ashley Jensen as Miss Tringham, a member of the chorus Mark Benton as Mr.

Price, a member of the chorus Steve Speirs as Mr. Kent, a member of the chorus Sam Kelly as Richard Barker Alison Steadman as Madame Leon Katrin Cartlidge as the madame of a Paris brothel Brid Brennan as a mad beggar woman Depiction of Victorian society Film professor Wheeler Winston Dixon wrote that the film "uses the conventions of the biographical narrative film to expose the ruthlessness and insularity of the Victorian era, at the same time as it chronicles, with great fidelity, the difficulties of a working relationship in the creative arts. ... Topsy-Turvy is an investigation into the social, political, sexual and theatrical economies of the Victorian era". While the film deals primarily with the production of The Mikado, it shows many aspects of 1880s British life.

Scenes show George Grossmiths use of morphine; Sullivans mistress, Fanny Ronalds, implying that she will obtain an abortion; three actors discussion of the destruction of the British garrison at Khartoum by the Mahdi; a private salon concert; a conversation about the use of nicotine by women; Sullivans visit to a French brothel; and Gilbert being accosted outside the theatre on opening night by a beggar. The film also depicts the Savoy Theatre as having electric lighting; it was the first public building in Britain – and at the time one of the few buildings there of any kind – to be lit entirely by electricity. Another scene shows an early use of the telephone. These scenes, some based on historical incidents, depict different aspects of Victorian society and life at the time. Production Topsy-Turvy was filmed at Three Mills Studios in London beginning 29 June 1998 and completed shooting on 24 October. Location shooting took place in London and Hertfordshire, and scenes which took place at the Savoy Theatre were filmed at the Richmond Theatre in Richmond, London. The films budget was $20,000,000.

Reception In the United Kingdom, the film grossed £610,634 in total and £139,700 on its opening weekend. In the United States, the film grossed $6,208,548 in total, and $31,387 on its opening weekend. The film has an 89% rating at Rotten Tomatoes, and a 90 at Metacritic, indicating that critical reception was overall positive. According to Janet Maslin, Topsy-Turvy is "grandly entertaining", "one of those films that create a mix of erudition, pageantry and delectable acting opportunities, much as Shakespeare in Love did: Topsy-Turvy ... is much bigger than their story. Its aspirations are thrilling in their own right. Mr. Leighs gratifyingly long view of life in the theatre (Gilbert has a dentist who tells him Princess Ida could have been shorter) includes not only historical and biographical details but also the painstaking process of creating a Gilbert and Sullivan production from the ground up. The film details all this with the luxury of a leisurely pace, as opposed to a slow one.

According to Richard Schickel, the film was "one of the years more beguiling surprises"; it is a "somewhat comic, somewhat desperate, very carefully detailed" story given "heartfelt heft" in the way it depicts how rehearsing and putting on an operetta "takes over everyones life." According to Philip French, "Topsy-Turvy is not a conventional biographical film"; "the film is an opulently mounted, warm-hearted celebration of two great artists and of a dedicated group of actors, backstage personnel and front-of-house figures working together." French also notes the film is "a rare treat, thanks to Dick Popes photography, Eve Stewarts production design and Lindy Hemmings costumes", with "great music orchestrated by Carl Davis." For Roger Ebert, it was "one of the years best films." Topsy-Turvy ranks 481st on Empire???s 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time.

Awards and honours At the 72nd Academy Awards, Topsy-Turvy received the Academy Award for Best Costume Design and the Academy Award for Makeup, and was nominated for Best Art Direction and Best Original Screenplay, losing these to Sleepy Hollow and American Beauty, respectively. The film also won Best Make Up/Hair at the BAFTA Awards, and was nominated for Best British Film, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Jim Broadbent), Best Supporting Actor (Timothy Spall) and Best Original Screenplay. Broadbent also won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival, and the film was nominated for the Golden Lion at the same festival. Topsy Turvy also won the Best British Film Award at the Evening Standard British Film Awards, and received 1999 awards for Best Film (shared with Spike Jonzes Being John Malkovich) and Best Director from the National Society of Film Critics, and for Best Picture and Best Director at the 1999 New York Film Critics Circle Awards. Songs Behold!

The Lord High Executioner (2:53) Overture (7:54) Three Little Maids from School are We (1:35) Overture (3:52) If You Give Me Your Attention (2:18) Paris Galop (2:43) Mi-Ya Sa-Ma and A More Humane Mikado (5:51) But Soft; Why - Where Be Oi?

(3:44) Alone (1:05) The Criminal Cried as he Dropped Him Down (3:38) Overture (4:59) A Wandring Minstrel I (4:30) The Sun Whose Rays are all Ablaze (2:27) End Titles (2:36) The Mikado - Finale - Act Two (1:56) Resolutions (2:08) Home media A digitally restored version of the film, released on DVD and Blu-ray by The Criterion Collection in March 2011, includes an audio commentary featuring director Mike Leigh; a new video conversation between Leigh and musical director Gary Yershon; Leighs 1992 short film A Sense of History, written by and starring actor Jim Broadbent; deleted scenes; and a featurette from 1999 including interviews with Leigh and cast members.

Amazon.com: Topsy-Turvy (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]: Allan Corduner, Dexter Fletcher, Sukie Smith, Roger Heathcott, Wendy Nottingham, Mike Leigh: Movies & TV By dave king on September 21, 2015 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase One of my all time favorite films but perhaps not for all. The humor in this film is all character driven. Every different character is carefully developed with strengths, weaknesses, and quirks. The opera performers reflect the often pompous, sometimes arrogant, always insecure traits common to people who choose to perform for a living. The owners of the opera house show the tight-rope like balance that must be walked while trying to manage a profit making business dealing with creative egos. The period setting has some delightful touches showing the novelty of the newly developed telephone,fountain pens, and hotels with individual bathrooms. Music lovers will enjoy seeing realistically performed Gilbert and Sullivan songs including some from their less well know shows. But best of all is the perfect comic performances of Allan Corduner and Jim Broadbent as Gilbert and Sullivan themselves.

Sullivan feeling that he is not achieving his musical abilities by creating the repetitive "Topsy-Turvy" plots of Gilbert wants to move on his own way. Gilbert himself feeling overburdened by his crazy family, critics who no longer appreciate his works, and a partners that threaten to kill the goose that laid the golden eggs. Jim Broadbent, who is a national treasure of British films, gives a performance of a lifetime . The film is probably the best ever demonstrating the theatrical process. The creation of their masterpiece "The Mikado" is the centerpiece of the film. It is interesting and a little sad to hear that many acting troupes are now dropping the Mikado from their repertoires because it is racially offensive. But if you watch this film you will see that the actual creators of this work admired the Japanese culture that the British public was first being exposed to at the time. They insisted on being accurate in their costuming and to limit mimicking of stereotypical behaviors. In fact most of the humor is much more satirical to British sensibilities than to Japanese culture. I think the only basis for offence is having non Japanese performers portraying Japanese parts.

But those same acting troupes also play parts like tyrolean peasants, gypsies, and pirates . Are those nationalities also offended? If there are readers who find the Mikado offensive I would be very interested to know what those offences are because it would be sad to lose such a delightful work of art without understanding why. By James G Horn Jr on February 14, 2016 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase A recreation of the creation of the Mikado, generally faithful to the times and characters of the participants. If I have a quibble, it is with the relationship of Gilbert with his wife. Couples can be childless without one partner being totally clueless about sex. That said, it does spare the foibles of the people involved. Gilbert's irrascibility, Sullivan's womanizing (yes, the composer of Onward Christian Soldiers frequented brothels and had a mistress) and gambling. Helen, the super efficient manager for Richard d'Oyly Carte eventually married him and was key to the continued operation of the Savoy theater and the perpetuation of the G&S tradition after his death.

The best part of the movie, however, is the presentation of scenes from Princess Ida and the Sorcerer in addition to highlights from the Mikado itself. By Chip Kaufmann on April 14, 2014 Format: DVD|Verified Purchase An observation that I have made before on many occasions has to do with film being the only true time machine that humans have come up with so far. Starting with the oldest films from the beginning of movies in the late 1890s through the latest releases, we have a visual and aural record of events, people, places, and the fashions and attitudes in favor at the time the movies were produced. In addition there are those movies which are deliberate historical recreations of a specific time and place with specific historical characters that are also subject to the attitudes present when they were made. TOPSY-TURVY is one of these latter movies and it is one of the best examples of that genre that I have ever seen. It is set in 1885. Gilbert & Sullivan have lost their creative spark and are relying on revivals of past works to keep themselves and the Savoy Theater going.

A chance visit to a Japanese exhibition in London gives Gilbert the idea for a "Japanese opera" and thus THE MIKADO comes into being. That's the story of the film in a nutshell. What director Mike Leigh does is to expand that basic scenario and give us much, much more. We not only see THE MIKADO come into being but get a good look at the lives of Gilbert & Sullivan away from the theater. We also get to see a detailed look at the world of Victorian London and a behind-the-scenes look at the D'Oyly-Carte Opera Company and how a show is created from scratch. What makes TOPSY-TURVY truly stand out is that you really do feel as if you have been transported back in time to the late 19th century. Every detail from the opulent and repressive Victorian fashions to the cluttered rooms with heavy furnishings to the secret lives of the characters is captured with remarkable fidelity (or the illusion of it). Gas jets and horse drawn carriages, backstage dressing rooms and secret boudoirs, the lost art of elegant conversation and more are impeccably recreated.

Only ANONYMOUS (2011) about the authorship of Shakespeare's plays with its vivid rendering of Elizabethan London gave me such a powerful feeling of being there not as an audience member but as an actual observer. The performances are all flawless from Jim Broadbent and Alan Cordurer as G & S to Timothy Spall and Martin Savage as leading members of the company. Since this is a Mike Leigh film there are several strong roles for women with Lesley Manville as Gilbert's long suffering wife a standout. The look of the film is incredibly sumptious and to think that it was made for only 10 million pounds seems beyond belief. The film's length (160 minutes) and deliberate pace will frustrate some people and Savoyards will want more opera and less background but if you love history, it's a dream come true. The Criterion edition is a definite upgrade from the previous DVD featuring lots of extras with the only flaw being no subtitles.

About: Topsy-Turvy About: Topsy-Turvy An Entity of Type : movie , from Named Graph : , within Data Space : dbpedia.org Topsy-Turvy is a 1999 British musical drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh and stars Allan Corduner as Sir Arthur Sullivan and Jim Broadbent as W. S. Gilbert, along with Timothy Spall and Lesley Manville. The story concerns the 15-month period in 1884 and 1885 leading up to the premiere of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. The film focuses on the creative conflict between playwright and composer, and the decision by the two men to continue their partnership, which led to the creation of several more famous Savoy Operas between them. Property توبسي ترفي (بالإنجليزية: Topsy-Turvy) هو فيلم كوميدي تم إنتاجه في المملكة المتحدة وصدر في سنة 1999. (ar) Topsy-Turvy est un film britannique réalisé par Mike Leigh, sorti en 1999.

(fr) Topsy-Turvy is a 1999 British musical drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh and stars Allan Corduner as Sir Arthur Sullivan and Jim Broadbent as W. S. Gilbert, along with Timothy Spall and Lesley Manville. The story concerns the 15-month period in 1884 and 1885 leading up to the premiere of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. The film focuses on the creative conflict between playwright and composer, and the decision by the two men to continue their partnership, which led to the creation of several more famous Savoy Operas between them. The film was not released widely, but it received very favourable reviews, including a number of film festival awards and two design Academy Awards. While considered an artistic success, illustrating Victorian era British life in the theatre in depth, the film did not recover its production costs. Leigh cast actors who did their own singing in the film, and the singing performances were faulted by some critics, while others lauded Leigh's strategy.

(en) Topsy-Turvy - Auf den Kopf gestellt ist ein Film über das Komponistenduo Gilbert und Sullivan des britischen Regisseurs Mike Leigh aus dem Jahr 1999, der mit zwei Oscars ausgezeichnet wurde. (de) Topsy-Turvy es un drama musical de época ambientado en el siglo antepasado que narra las diferencias y rivalidades que existieron entre dos londinenses de gran creatividad: Gilbert y Sullivan. La película fue dirigida y escrita por Mike Leigh, e interpretada, entre otros, por Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville y Shirley Henderson. (es) Topsy-Turvy - Sotto-Sopra (Topsy-Turvy) è un film del 1999 diretto da Mike Leigh.

(it) 『トプシー・ターヴィー』（Topsy-Turvy）は、マイク・リー監督・脚本による1999年のミュージカルドラマ映画である。W・S・ギルバートとアーサー・サリヴァンが1884年から1885年までの15か月間で『ミカド』を完成させる過程が描かれる。ギルバートをジム・ブロードベント、サリヴァンをアラン・コーデュナーが演じる。 アカデミー賞では4部門にノミネートされ、メイクアップ賞と衣裳デザイン賞を獲得した。 (ja) Topsy-Turvy – brytyjski film biograficzny z 1999 roku. (pl) Topsy-Turvy (Topsy-Turvy - O Espetáculo (título no Brasil) ) é um filme musical de drama de 1999 escrito e dirigido por Mike Leigh. Com Allan Corduner, Arthur Sullivan, Jim Broadbent e Dexter Fletcher.

O filme ganhou o Oscar de melhor figurino e maquiagem. (pt) Topsy-Turvy is een Britse muziekfilm uit 1999 onder regie van Mike Leigh. (nl) «Кутерьма» (англ. Topsy-Turvy) — художественный фильм о Гильберте и Салливане, снятый британским режиссёром Майком Ли по собственному сценарию в 1999 году. Фильм получил большое количество наград и номинаций на различных фестивалях. (ru) توبسي ترفي (بالإنجليزية: Topsy-Turvy) هو فيلم كوميدي تم إنتاجه في المملكة المتحدة وصدر في سنة 1999. (ar) Topsy-Turvy est un film britannique réalisé par Mike Leigh, sorti en 1999.

(fr) Topsy-Turvy - Auf den Kopf gestellt ist ein Film über das Komponistenduo Gilbert und Sullivan des britischen Regisseurs Mike Leigh aus dem Jahr 1999, der mit zwei Oscars ausgezeichnet wurde. (de) Topsy-Turvy es un drama musical de época ambientado en el siglo antepasado que narra las diferencias y rivalidades que existieron entre dos londinenses de gran creatividad: Gilbert y Sullivan. La película fue dirigida y escrita por Mike Leigh, e interpretada, entre otros, por Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville y Shirley Henderson. (es) Topsy-Turvy - Sotto-Sopra (Topsy-Turvy) è un film del 1999 diretto da Mike Leigh. (it) Topsy-Turvy – brytyjski film biograficzny z 1999 roku. (pl) Topsy-Turvy is een Britse muziekfilm uit 1999 onder regie van Mike Leigh. (nl) «Кутерьма» (англ.

Topsy-Turvy) — художественный фильм о Гильберте и Салливане, снятый британским режиссёром Майком Ли по собственному сценарию в 1999 году. Фильм получил большое количество наград и номинаций на различных фестивалях. (ru) Topsy-Turvy is a 1999 British musical drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh and stars Allan Corduner as Sir Arthur Sullivan and Jim Broadbent as W. S. Gilbert, along with Timothy Spall and Lesley Manville. The story concerns the 15-month period in 1884 and 1885 leading up to the premiere of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. The film focuses on the creative conflict between playwright and composer, and the decision by the two men to continue their partnership, which led to the creation of several more famous Savoy Operas between them.

(en) 『トプシー・ターヴィー』（Topsy-Turvy）は、マイク・リー監督・脚本による1999年のミュージカルドラマ映画である。W・S・ギルバートとアーサー・サリヴァンが1884年から1885年までの15か月間で『ミカド』を完成させる過程が描かれる。ギルバートをジム・ブロードベント、サリヴァンをアラン・コーデュナーが演じる。アカデミー賞では4部門にノミネートされ、メイクアップ賞と衣裳デザイン賞を獲得した。 (ja) Topsy-Turvy (Topsy-Turvy - O Espetáculo (título no Brasil) ) é um filme musical de drama de 1999 escrito e dirigido por Mike Leigh. Com Allan Corduner, Arthur Sullivan, Jim Broadbent e Dexter Fletcher.O filme ganhou o Oscar de melhor figurino e maquiagem. (pt)

Question: Mike Leigh directed what 1999 film, starring Jim Broadbent and Timothy Spall, about a famous music theatre partnership?
Answer: Topsy-Turvy