It took me a while to watch this because the premise sounded just weird. But I love Olivia Coleman and Tom Hardy, especially in work they did before they became superstars.
What I did not expect was a surprisingly effective means of moving the story forward and engaging the audience on a visceral level. Whether it was the use of actual words from the incident, the Greek chorus style of spoken/sung words, the surprise recognition of expressions I myself might use in a similar circumstance, or the emotional build up generated when talking morphed into music...I just don't know, but it was powerful.
It feels like an invention of Stephen Sondheim, or perhaps the natural evolution from his work to something custom made for cinematic effect but that could certainly translate to the stage. A new way to connect with the audience.
What I did not expect was a surprisingly effective means of moving the story forward and engaging the audience on a visceral level. Whether it was the use of actual words from the incident, the Greek chorus style of spoken/sung words, the surprise recognition of expressions I myself might use in a similar circumstance, or the emotional build up generated when talking morphed into music...I just don't know, but it was powerful.
It feels like an invention of Stephen Sondheim, or perhaps the natural evolution from his work to something custom made for cinematic effect but that could certainly translate to the stage. A new way to connect with the audience.