The two Academy Award winning villains of the 1990s came together a few years before in this wacky sex comedy by Alan Ayckbourn, and what a fun time you'll have visiting Yorkshire. With these two, you may expect Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett to show up by the beautiful sea, but instead of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, you get "The Beggars Opera", at least the backstage view of a production being prepared. The director (Anthony Hopkins) is a mad Welchman, and the females of the cast truly can't stand each other. Along comes Jeremy Irons, and the women each begin their own effort to get into the widowed man's bed-and keep the other women out of it.
I found this wonderful wacky, giving us an insight into community theater culture of the Yorkshire community, with everybody's egos working overtime, and their hormones never sleeping. Irons quickly seduces Hopkins' very willing wife (Prunella Scales), while the alluring Jenny Seagrave and Sylvia Syms also cast their sights on him. There's also a secondary plot of a younger member of the cast whose boyfriend breaks up with her to go out with the stage manager, proving himself to be quite disturbed by wearing very revealing clothing that literally makes a point.
While Irons' character seems noble and loyal and kind, he's quite the scoundrel even though he claims to feel guilty towards betraying his growing friendship with Hopkins. Irons has the more subtle part, and Hopkins seems to be channeling Cagney, Peter Lorre, Charles Laughton and Richard Burton in each of their scene stealing roles. He obviously is having fun chewing up the scenery, and it's a surprise when there is a set on opening night. Indeed, Michael Winner might seem like an odd director choice, but everything comes together just fine. The only thing that is missing is a plate of sardines and a scantily-clad nearly blind actress tripping over everything.
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