‘The Trip to Italy’ (BBC2)- T.V. review; The Italian leg of the series could feel self-indulgent, but….

(Adapted from ‘The Guardian’ April 2014)

In 2010's "The Trip," British comedians Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon played slightly fictionalized versions
of themselves (Coogan, the philandering gadabout and Brydon, the happily married family man) on a road
trip tour across the Northern English countryside, engaging in humorous conversations while reviewing
high-end restaurants for The Observer.

Written and directed by Michael Winterbottom, the project aired as a BBC television miniseries, but was
condensed into a single film for American audiences. The film mainly functioned as an excuse for the two
funnymen to riff off one another in a perpetual game of comedic one-upmanship while gorging themselves
on plate after plate of mouthwatering food. The result was a combination of comedy, travelogue, and food,
and watching it was just as enjoyable as that description implies. Now comes the sequel, "The Trip to Italy,"
which sees the men taking a similar tour through (obviously) Italy, cruising around the country to the
sounds of Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill" (the only music the men brought with them), and while the
film doesn't mess with the formula too much, even more of the same makes for worthwhile entertainment.
"We're not going to be doing any impersonations are we, cos we talked about that," says Steve Coogan to
Rob Brydon, as they drive their convertible Mini along a twisty Piedmond road near the start of the first
episode. Except they are, obviously, because Brydon has just slipped into Tom Jones. And Ronnie Corbett
and Al Pacino – and of course Coogan can't help joining in. Good, because the impersonations are one of
the brilliant things about The Trip. Not so much the impersonations themselves, but rather the way Coogan
and Brydon do them, slipping in a Wogan here, a Morrissey there. Or both doing Michael Caine in a Caine-
off. They've reinvented the art of impersonation in a way that makes it not just acceptable but also
hilarious.

The roles of the two men are slightly reversed this time around: Brydon enjoys an upswing in his career,
landing an audition for the latest Michael Mann film and engaging in an extramarital affair with a pretty
tour guide, while Coogan frets over his fractured relationship with his teenage son. As with the first film,
"The Trip to Italy" balances inspired silliness (among the best is an extended improvisation imagining of
how a crew member might have approached Christian Bale and Tom Hardy on the set of "The Dark Knight
Rises" in order to explain to them that no one can understand a bloody word they're saying) with quieter,
bittersweet moments as the men admit their constant apprehensions about aging, their careers and the
legacy they'll leave behind. Winterbottom isn't afraid to let Coogan and Brydon be unlikeable -- they
frequently come across as obnoxious buffoons -- yet they somehow remain sympathetic, their many faults
allowing them to feel utterly human. We still care about what happens to them. The balance of light with a
touch of darkness makes "The Trip to Italy" a bit meatier than it otherwise might have been, though it
never strays too far from its main purpose of being hilarious.

Coogan, Bryden and Michael Winterbottom have also reinvented the travelogue, the food show and
scripted reality, so it's not much about where they are, il friggin' coniglio arrosto or whatever. And you
never really know what's real. The Observer food columns they say they're writing are obviously not; but
what about the good-looking young people on the hotel terrace at the end? Real or placed there? I'd even
be up for more adventures from Brydon and Coogan, confronting their middle-aged anxieties and jaunting
off in search of the next great culinary delight.
1. What do we learn from the reviewer about the first series in the first paragraph?

A. Steve Coogan is more reserved than Rob Brydon.

B. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon work full-time for ‘The Observer.’
C. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are reviewing typical British food.
D. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon are themselves but are acting out a role as themselves, too.

2. In the second paragraph, the reviewer says

A. ‘The Trip to Italy’ suffers slightly from the fact it repeats the first series’ format.
B. The American version of the first series contained new material.
C. Coogan and Brydon try to better each other in certain impersonations of famous people.
D. The song ‘Jagged Pill’ is very annoying and should have been omitted.

3. In the third paragraph, we learn that

A. both Coogan and Brydon’s come across as men whose professional and private lives are in crisis.
B. the series is not just humorous but also touching at times.
C. the director doesn’t like Coogan or Brydon.
D. there are parts which are so stupid that Coogan and Brydon fail to make us laugh.

4. In the fourth and final paragraph, the reviewer

A. wonders how much is improvised and how much is scripted.
B. criticizes the lack of reality portrayed.
C. hints that a third series or film would be risky.
D. states that the director with Coogan and Brydon have drawn on other T.V. formulas used before.

5. What does the reviewer’s overall opinion of ‘The Trip to Italy’ seem to be? Write a summary in your own
words.
EXAMPLE ANSWER; THE REVIEWER’S OVERALL OPINION SEEMS TO BE POSITIVE. HE OR SHE SEEMS TO
HAVE ALREADY ENJOYED THE FIRST SERIES, AND FEELS THAT ‘THE TRIP TO ITALY’ HAS EVEN IMPROVED ON
ITS PREDECESSOR. HE OR SHE ADMIRES BOTH ACTORS/COMEDIANS FOR THEIR HUMOUR, AND TALENT
FOR IMPERSONATING FAMOUS PEOPLE, AND SEEMS TO HAVE ALSO ENJOYED THE ORIGINAL MIX OF
HUMOUR, FOOD AND COUNTRYSIDE. THE FACT THAT THERE ARE ALSO MOMENTS OF ‘PHILOSOPHY’, AND
MID-AGE CRISIS ADDS TO THE SERIES. BASICALLY THE REVIEWER EVEN HOPES THERE WILL BE A FURTHER
SERIES.

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6. Do you like comedians or people who can impersonate famous people? If so, why? If not, what kind of
humour do you like?
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Behind The Scenes

Watching a successful theatre production is an amazing experience. The performance looks (1)
________________________ and everything goes smoothly but this often belies the amount of work that
was actually involved. At the Palace Theatre, the average time from the first (2)__________________ to
opening night is just four weeks of intensive work. Everyone involved attends the first read-through by the
cast, so this is an ideal opportunity to get an(3)__________________________ into how a production
germinates.

I took myself to the theatre on a (4)_____________________ October morning to attend the read-through
of the theatre’s new production – the British première of Sive, by the acclaimed Irish (5)
__________________ John B Keane. It is about a young girl about to be married off for money to an old
man, while her true love can only look on (6)__________________ . It is a poignant portrayal of rural family
life, rich in comedy and filled with (7) ___________________ characters played by an Irish cast for linguistic
(8)_____________________________.

‘It’s important for people to have a sense of common purpose and (9)________________’ explains director
Ben Barnes. ‘The play has been in pre-production since June but this is the first reading and it will be (10)
_________________________ of how the actors work together. And it’s for the theatre staff as much as
the actors.’

1.EFFORT - effortless
2.REHEARSE- rehearsal
3.SIGHT - insight
4.CHILL – chilly
5.PLAY- playwright
6.HELP– helplessly
7.MEMORY - memorable
8.AUTHENTIC – authenticity
9.TEAM- teamwork
10. INDICATE – indicative