Rodington Village Hall

The Critic15

Ian McKellen and Gemma Arterton headline a scintillating thriller of theatre world ambition and deceit. 1936, London: Fascism is on the rise. Known for his merciless takedowns of actors like Nina (Arterton), acerbic critic and gay man Jimmy (McKellen) faces being fired by his editor David (Mark Strong) for both his extravagant prose and his personal life. As the Blackshirts take to the streets and anti-queer police raids begin, Jimmy uses Nina and David’s desires to concoct a plot to save himself. Brimming with intrigue, scripted by Patrick Marber (Notes on a Scandal) and directed by Anand Tucker (Hilary and Jackie), The Critic is a suspenseful tale about adversaries taking desperate measures, with an ensemble cast that includes Lesley Manville, Ben Barnes and Romola Garai