Pantagleize is an amiable but otherworldly philosopher whose casual remark is mistaken for the secret signal to a network of revolutionaries, and so finds himself farcically embroiled in an insurrection, à la Woody Allen's Sleeper. As the revolt is crushed, the comedy tails off and genuine pathos is successfully evoked without descent into trite sentimentality.
Adaptor/director Gordon Anderson's version, in which the Harold Lloyd-esque hero is pursued by a secret policeman cloned from Ron Mael of Sparks, plays intelligently through the whole space of the Canal Café, performances are pitched with rare precision throughout, and the overall result is a little gem.
Written for City Limits magazine.
Copyright © Ian Shuttleworth; all rights reserved.
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