A Number is a clever play, so you can see why someone would think it was a good idea to transfer it into a TV piece.
The experiment works in some respect. Tom Willkinson is good in his role, giving Salter all the qualities that make us want to like him and loath him all at the same time.
Rhys Ifan's is the real revelation though, playing his multiple roles with skill and ease.
The real thing that this piece comes down to though is whether you can put up with the slow pace of the whole thing or whether Carol Churchill's decision to leave so many sentences unanswered or spoken over. It's a good technique but one that grates after a while.
I didn't hate 'A Number' but it certainly didn't make me want to watch it again.
The experiment works in some respect. Tom Willkinson is good in his role, giving Salter all the qualities that make us want to like him and loath him all at the same time.
Rhys Ifan's is the real revelation though, playing his multiple roles with skill and ease.
The real thing that this piece comes down to though is whether you can put up with the slow pace of the whole thing or whether Carol Churchill's decision to leave so many sentences unanswered or spoken over. It's a good technique but one that grates after a while.
I didn't hate 'A Number' but it certainly didn't make me want to watch it again.