Following the success of Mike Leigh’s Mr. Turner, we thought it was the ideal time to revisit his 1999 film Topsy-Turvy, the director’s first period biopic and one of his grandest achievements. Both an exploration and celebration of the collaborative spirit in which his films are made, this richly entertaining and moving take on Gilbert & Sullivan’s production of The Mikado shares with Mr. Turner a vivid sense of period detail, a deft avoidance of biopic clichés and tremendous performances from Leigh’s regular ensemble.

You can download the programme notes from the event here.

We were pleased to welcome Mike Leigh for a Q&A after the show and you can view his appearance below.