REVIEWS:
Reviewer Ian D. Hall:
The second play written for the Sky Arts series of plays by
Sandi Toksvig, the engaging "The Man" was quite possibly one of
the strangest that the series had produced so far and yet also
one of the most compelling for viewers to get their thoughts
around. "The Man" had an array of talent within the short
half hour programme that it could have put the other plays to
absolute shame in its sharp crisp feel... The beauty of this
particular play, compared to the unfortunate drab affair by Ms.
Toksvig earlier in the series was the sheer joy that masked the
subject matter that came through in the writing for the four
major actors on the screen. Not only was the writing a joy to
behold but it reflected well in the apparent feel that the
actors gave in performing it... Compelling television and a joy
to watch.
Reviewer Mark Braxton:
This provocative mini-drama from Sandi Toksvig begins
cryptically, with a fledgeling banker invited to a huge country
pile to meet new clients. They include a professor and his
colleague, plus a mysterious Swede – the Man of the title. Over
a card game she learns just how wide-ranging her remit is when
their discussions take in China, Sars and al-Qaeda. “I feel like
I’m in some kind of f***ing Dan Brown novel,” she explodes.
Stephen Fry is suitably Fry-ish and academic, while the “people
and power” theme plays out chillingly. It’s another impressive,
starry outing in an anthology series that gives writers freedom
to gamble.